French Class Behind Tinted Windows
by Unlucky-charm
Summary: She was convinced they were all mad. Absolutely crazy. Except for one of them. All he wanted to do was learn French, as long as no one found out. Unfortunately for him, she could see right through. ScoutxSpy. Rated M for later chapter. A lot of fluff.
1. Chapter 1

Team Fortress 2

French Class and Tinted Windows

Chapter 1- Delivery

By, the Unlucky-Charm

It was a lazy, rainy evening, right after an early ceasefire, when the train arrived to deliver food. The tired members of BLU, all very reluctant, were eyeing each other, in hopes that someone would bother get up and pick up the arrival. A game of rock paper scissors would determine the chosen ones.

Sniper, Engineer and Soldier lost, but (apparently) Soldier never lost so Sniper and Engie went off running through the rain on their own. The train was long gone but the crates and bags of food still stood by the railway in the distance.

"We should take 'em in before that water seeps through." Sniper yelled over the sound of rain pounding against their base.

"Right!"

The two burst into a sprint, but only 3 big strides later, Sniper came to a halt causing Engie to almost run into him.

"What is it?" He asked him.

Sniper squinted through the wet and foggy weather, trying to get a good look at what lay ahead. His eyesight had always been very good, so were his eyes finally deceiving him?

"Oi Engie!" He called even though the other man was right next to him. "Ya' see that?"

Engineer stepped next to his partner and narrowed his eyes.

"Is that...?"

Sniper cut him off with a nod and began jogging toward the silhouette sitting on top of one of the crates.

"Hello?" He called hesitantly once he was but a yard away from the crates.

"Yes? Hello?" A completely unfamiliar voice answered.

Sniper heard his partner gasp behind him. So he wasn't dreaming. There in fact WAS a young girl sitting on the crate with a couple of bags she had set her legs on. In her hands she clutched a soaked paper. When they finally came face to face , all they did was just stare at each other.

"Um, miss, what are you -?"

"Are you..." The girl cut Engie off and glanced down at her paper. "Are you um –Medic?"

The two men jerked their heads back and widened their eyes momentarily before glancing at each other and then sympathetically, at her.

"Follow me, sweetheart." Sniper said, confused and yet slightly pitying. The girl looked young and was definitely NOT supposed to be in a place like that. And Medic? That definitely was not good news.

Under the heavy rain, the trio walked with their heavy loads until they reached shelter at the doors of the base. That's where Sniper and Engineer got a better look at her. Brown hair, brown eyes, short; really nothing special about her. If anything, she was cute.

"Young lady, what are you doing here?" Engineer asked her hesitantly.

"I'm here to see a person called Medic... um, I don't know if it's his actual name, but it says BLU Medic... is that something you would know about?" She asked innocently, blushing to herself at how clueless she sounded.

"Well at least she's in the right base." Engineer said to Sniper who answered with a curt nod but did not tear his eyes away from the girl.

"Base?" She asked.

"Well, yeah. This IS a war."

"A war!" She exclaimed, sounding more surprised than she should have been. Not a good sign, Sniper thought.

Engie shot him a look that begged for some backup.

"Fine. Let's take you to Medic." Sniper finished by saying and led the way with his partner and the girl closely behind. The few times he bothered glancing back, he couldn't help but chuckle and the sight of her holding on to Engie's clothes. He sighed; he shouldn't have told her it was a war. Poor girl was probably scared half to death now.

It wasn't a long way through the halls when they reached the cafeteria where everyone was gathered and waiting for dinner. They all seems stressed and impatient after that day's battle, except for Spy who was his usual composed self. When he entered the room, Scout was the first notice him.

"Well, it's about fucking –Whoa!" He was also the first to notice HER.

In a clumsy manner, Scout stood up and slammed his hands loudly against the table, making everyone's attention turn to him and then to the three people standing in the doorway. "Who the hell is that?" He asked, shamelessly pointing at the young lady currently hiding as much of herself as possible behind Engineer.

"That's what we'd like to know." Sniper said dryly, addressing Medic. However, the doctor completely ignored him and was eyeing the girl hungrily, an eerie grin stretching across his face.

"Ah! She has finally arrived!" He said and shuffled his way towards her. He cupped her face with gloved hands and grinned all the more. "My apprentice! Look at that, such a pretty face!"

"M-medic?" Obviously terrified, she whispered the question.

"The very same." He growled with a heavy German accent, taking a step back to stare her down completely. "So, vat iz your name?"

The girl gulped and glanced around at everyone in the room. There were eight people in total, all of them men, all of them staring straight at her as if she was some kind of foreign animal from another planet. Utter disbelief would be the perfect way to describe it.

"Um, the letter said..." She paused. "I'm not supposed to say." She added shyly, almost a mumble.

"Very good!" He practically yelled. "Zhat vas a test!"

With bizarre motions, that the girl could only classify as 'elegance', the doctor swooped up behind her and grabbed her by the waist. "Everyone!" He announced. "From now on, she will be referred to as 'Nurse'!"

A few greetings and salutes were thrown around, one more awkward than the other, leaving the new Nurse flushed and still a little scared. All she could manage doing at the moment was waving back. Although they had introduced themselves once, her memory was good enough to remember most of them. Like, the loud one with the oversized helmet was called Soldier and the Australian who helped her was the Sniper. The Spy was easy enough to remember, the one closest to her age was called Scout and her employer was the Medic. The rest were still to be determined.

"Hey! So lemme get this straight." The loud young man spoke up. "So the politic guys used the extra money in our budget to buy a Nurse? So that means extra medical shit, right?"

"Non." She heard the Spy speak for the first time. "She eez Medic's employee. Meaning Medic has personally hired her. This doesn't necessarily mean zat the Reds now have Nurse too." His heavy French accent would have made her giggle if she wasn't about to pee her pants in fear at any second.

"Correct, my dear!" Medic applauded the Spy. "The Reds have no such member. She is but an intern, here to learn."

The attention turned to her and she began to nod rapidly. An internship...that's what the letter said. THIS was definitely not what she had in mind.

'Okay,' She began in her head. 'So far all I've got is that, one: I'm this crazy guy's apprentice. Two: no one calls the other from his actual name. Three: These people are in a war against...people dressed in red and I'm not sure but...they have the exact same team members? So there should be a red Medic...'

The girl thought of several possibilities, one less logical than the other, and then gave up. This was absolutely insane, but she was here to learn and that's what she'd do.

"Don't 'cha think she's a bit young, mate?" Sniper asked.

"Oh, no!" Medic waved his hand in the air, dismissing the question. "She's 16, she'll be fine."

The girl corrected him, because she was definitely older than that if she was being hired for an internship, but no one seemed to be paying attention to what she had to say and was more interested in the fact that she was a girl.

"A'ight!" The Scout jumped over the table and landed straight in front of her. "Lemme grab ya' bags and we can go to your room, if Medic here tells us where the fuck that is." He picked up one piece of luggage in each hand, but nobody answered him.

"'ey, petit. She iz probably 'ungry, don't you think?" The Spy reproached, waving his cigarette around in the airs, watching them both through a bored looking gaze.

"Um, that's okay, I'm fine." She made it a point to speak a tad bit louder this time.

One could only imagine the discomfort she felt. The room was vast, contained nine people, all men, who wouldn't stop looking at her. All the sirens were going off in her head, screaming danger, but she knew that at this point, there was not much she could do.

"Little Nurse is small." A man in the corner that was earlier sitting with Medic stood. She couldn't help but yelp when he drew nearer and nearer. He. Was. HUGE. How had she not noticed him earlier? "She's so tiny. She should be careful around here. Heavy will protect."

A few snickers were heard from around the room, probably laughing at her absolutely terrified expression. 'I'm going to die here.' She kept repeating in her head. 'These people are going to kill me.'

"It's the room connected to the infirmary." Medic explained, ignoring everyone else's comments or suggestions. Little did they know that he had this all planned out.

"What infirmary?" Engineer asked, arching a brow at the doctor.

"The one I never told you about." He replied casually and then went back to explaining the directions to Scout.

"Hold it, mate." Sniper cut in. "Since when is there an infirmary?" He asked suspiciously, anger laced lightly in his tone. He didn't really care; he just wished he had been told.

"Alvays. It's just too...how would you say...nice looking. All white and clean. Surely, it vould soften you all up too much." He snorted, as if a comfortable environment for the injured to rest in was the most absurd of concepts.

"So little Nurse is Medic too now?" Heavy asked in his booming Russian voice that bounced off the walls and overcame every other noise in the room.

"Vell, no." Medic answered sweetly and swung around to face everybody. "Nurse is for minor injuries ONLY." The German then leant over and squeezed the girl's cheek gently. "Wouldn't vant to overvork my pupil, now vould we?" He cooed.

The girl started and shut her eyes tightly and the sound of the man's eerie tone. 'This can't be happening' she told herself in her mind, as she shook her head. She knew she had to say something; be at least a LITTLE assertive. Next thing you know, they might have her do open heart surgery!

"No. No no no no no. I'm just here to help you." She said slowly, her palms set in front of her defensively.

"Of course, of course! You vill help by you know, doing basic things." The doctor came to a pause and just when Nurse was going to let the relief wash through her, he continued. "Stitches, shots, 3rd degree burns, broken bones; that sort of thing. If you ar' a good girl, I'll let you remove a couple of bullets, how's that, hm?"

"Wh –What!" She exclaimed. "Listen, I –I can't do that! I'm not qualified! I don't have a degree, o –or a licence! I can't do things like that! I don't know how!" She panicked, trying to explain and keep herself together at the same time. She enumerated the essentials slowly since those people didn't seem to understand what the hell they meant! Had they never heard of such things? Was that man practicing medicine without a diploma! As those thoughts crossed her mind, the threat of a meltdown neared.

With sly smiles all around, everyone in the room was glancing at each other, looking rather amused. Sniper was the first to make a move, by standing up and making contact with her. Unlike Medic's, Sniper's hand was much more comforting. She grimaced as the Aussie laughed and ruffled her damp hair.

"Cheeky little thing aren't we." He grinned and winked at her from over his sunglasses. "Not to worry, love. The only qualified person here is Engie over there and the only licence around is Demo's fishing permit. It ain't like he can use it much out here, though."

"Ay lass!" The man with the eye patch she assumed was 'Demo' shouted from across the room. "No need to be so professional!"

'These people are crazy!' Her own voice yelled inside her skull.

At that second, a man in some kind of weird suit appeared baring food. Through his mask, he yelled a muffled shout and everyone ran towards him.

Absolutely freaking crazy.

Scout escorted her to her room, and even he was amazed when they walked in. Not only was the infirmary sparkling and untouched, but Medic seemed to have done a remarkable job and transforming the Nurse's quarters. Her future bedroom was all that big, but it was very pretty. With light blue walls and a black and white bed set, the new Nurse was very impressed.

"'ey, Medic did one hell of a job."

She nodded in agreement and sat herself on the bed...and that's when she noticed a few things. For starters, her windows were slightly tinted and gave her a view of the battlefield. In the corners of two of the walls, there were speakers...announcements? She had a feeling this place was going to take some getting used to.

"'Wonder where he got all 'is shit." The boy went on, checking himself out in the vanity mirror.

She ignored his useless comments and continued analysing the room, when something hit her.

"Um, isn't it kind of dangerous that this room is facing the battlefield?" She asked nervously, fiddling with a strand of brown hair.

She did not even know how strongly she would come to regret asking that question, when a loud booming noise was heard from two feet away from her. The boy in front of her had carelessly taken out his gun and was shooting randomly at the window as if it was completely normal. The bullets bounded off the glass and landed on the floor.

"Bulletproof." He confirmed and tucked away the gun into his holster.

On the ground, a bullet rolled all the way to her feet. She stared down at the metal object that could easily take a life and a chill went through her spine. Whimpering quietly and shaking with her full body, she stared at Scout with tear filled eyes.

"Hey, hey now. It'll be a'ight. This shithole ain't that bad." He patted her back roughly as if she was choking on something. "Medic's a crazy bitch." He continued. "But he'll let you in on how shit goes 'round here."

He sat her down on what turned out to be a very comfortable bed and took a seat next to her. Though she did not smile, she was happy to be alone with him; someone her age and who seemed to understand a little better. They began talking about where they were from and how they lived. Their siblings, their friends, school life; anything that kids their age would have experienced.

"Wait, I didn't know there was an Armenian language." He said, staring at her utterly amazed.

"Yeah. I can speak English, Armenian, Japanese, French and very little Spanish." She explained, enumerating the languages on her fingertips.

"Wow, you can speak French?" He asked, a sparkle in his eye and a twitch at the corner of his lips.

"Um, yes. Really well, actually."

"Hey, you think you could um, teach me some o' that?" He asked her. The stutters and shakes in his voice did not go unnoticed by her and neither did the sudden change of disposition. The boy blushed and frowned. Had he too noticed these changes? He suddenly seemed very angry.

"Y-yeah, sure." She blinked at him like he was some kind of weirdo.

"Cool." He didn't sound too excited though.

And so, moments later, Medic walked in with an excited look on his face. Nurse was very thankful that Scout was not asked to leave and as discretely as possible, she scooted closer to him on the bed. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Scout glance at her and frown. Did he realise?

"'ey Doc, be careful would 'ya? Chick's scared shitless here." He warned him.

"Yes, yes. There are simple a couple of rules I vould like to share vith her." He cleared his throat and began to pace in the small room with his hands behind his back.

"First. Do not ever leave your quarters during a battle. Ever." He paused and smiled. His tone softened for the rest of the sentence. "Obviously, you may leave during regular time, when it's safe." Not sure how to react, she nodded. "However!" His voice went back to being loud and scary. "You may NEVER, ever, leave the base. Ever."

Other than the fact that she believed that Medic was suffering from some kind of bipolar disorder, she knew she would go mad if she was stuck inside for too long. How long is too long, anyway? She wondered.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Now, now, don't be upset. It's all for your own safety." He spoke tenderly, like she was his five year old daughter.

"Um Doc, won't she go nuts if you make her stay here for so long?" He tried to argue.

"Vell vhat do you vant me to do? Have you SEEN what the red Sniper can do?"

"Yeah, but vhat –WHAT if someone like...went with her, ya' know?" Scout tried to explain, looking puzzled over his own words.

"You mean an escort?" The German asked, rubbing his chin in a contemplating manner.

"No. Like, she can't go outside without one of us being with her."

"As in an escort."

"Yeah, yeah whatever Doc." He rolled his eyes.

"I don't know..."

"Please?" She begged and paused to think. "I...um...I won't be able to concentrate. I'm a bit claustrophobic." She lied.

"Hm, I see. I suppose you may... " He shrugged, but still didn't seem very fond of the idea. "Come Scout." He said and began making his way to the door, the young boy following. "Let's let her rest." They were gone but she had feeling there was a part two to Medic's rules.

When the door finally shut, Nurse was able to take a deep breath and relax. It was late and her best option was going to bed. Tomorrow was a big day and she couldn't help but wonder how everything would fall into place. As she stared through her window, a light lit up from a window at the neighbouring base. She couldn't believe that in a few hours, the field separating the two would be filled with people fighting and blowing each other up. Moments later, the light went off, but she had already fallen asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 2- Attacked

By, the Unlucky-Charm

"Rise and shine MAGGOTS!" was the first thing Nurse heard that morning.

It was only her first day at work and she was already having trouble shaking off the anxiety that kept pulling her confidence down to the ground. The words of yesterday just wouldn't leave her mind: "If you are a good girl, I'll let you remove a bullet...". She wasn't sure if that was supposed to be some kind of compensation, but she found no joy in having to fix such a wound...not that she could anyway.

From outside her door, she heard a series of heavy footsteps approach and then a very delicate knock.

She arched her brow at the door. "Yes?"

The door slowly opened, revealing Soldier, already dressed and ready, with his large arm pulled over his eyes.

"Miss Nurse! It's time for battle!...Just letting you know!" He shouted awkwardly.

"Sir, I'm wearing clothes." She informed him and hopped out of bed to confirm it.

Slowly and hesitantly, he peeled his arms off and sneaked a glance at her from under his helmet.

"Oh." He said. "I thought you were in your night gown."

Night gown...?

"No sir, just sweatpants and a tank."

With a grunt of approval, he saluted her and marched off. Nurse wondered if this was an actual military institution... but if it was, Soldier was the only one that seemed to fit in.

A cold draft traveled through the room. Shivering, she shuffled across the floor to shut the door, when she came across a piece of paper stuck to it.

"**Clothes in closet. Report for breakfast.**

**-Medic"**

She held the paper between her fingers, examining the handwriting. It wasn't the messy writing that doctors usually had...it was quite neat actually. She even giggled at how he had signed the note with 'Medic' and not his actual name.

She remembered the clothes he was wearing; how he looked like a crazed scientist. Deep down inside, even though she refused to acknowledge it, she hoped she got to wear something of the sort.

"Especially the gloves..." She whispered to herself.

Sliding open the closet, she saw series of uniforms hung in a straight line. Each outfit consisting of a short lab coat that would probably reach her pelvis, along with several blue V-necks that looked 2 sizes to small. Then again, she always preferred baggy clothing.

Driven by her own paranoia of being stuck in a base full of men, she undressed and dressed quickly to reduce the chances of someone walking in on her and then brushed her teeth in the infirmary sink. With one last check in the mirror, she undid her messy bun and jogged downstairs. No precise time had been given to her, but she refused to be late. But after what was around 20 footsteps, she realised she had no fucking clue where the cafeteria was. Sure she had been there yesterday, but she was too terrified to actually pay attention to the turns and ways Scout was taking. The hallway split into two and she came across an obvious dilemma...right or left?

"Ugh." She grunted. "Let's see what happens." She shrugged it off.

This time, it was only 5 steps to the left before she was suddenly swept off her feet and into the airs.

"Agh!" She yelped in surprise.

"Little Nurse going wrong way!"

She was about to panic until she realised who's shoulder she had been swung over, so instead of freaking out all the more, she hung on for dear life.

"Heavy, can't I just follow you?" She suggested sweetly.

"Maybe. But Nurse will get tired."

She ignored the fact that it had taken them 2 minutes to get to the cafeteria and that she surely wouldn't be 'tired' if she had walked on her own. When they walked in, everyone was sitting on their own, eating their food and keeping themselves busy. Nurse suddenly felt uneasy, not knowing exactly where to sit. Spy was not an option. She knew from her past experiences that if a person is drinking coffee and reading a newspaper in the morning, it was best to stay away. The rest seemed friendly enough (excluding the man in the full suit and mask), but she wasn't sure how things worked around here and thought it best to continue clinging on to Heavy.

"I found Nurse." He announced to the room.

"Ah! Thank you Heavy." Medic said and put a hand on the man's shoulder, telling him to put her down as if she were a piece of luggage. "Nurse I see you 'ave found your clothing."

"Oh, yeah. Thanks."

"Hey Nurse! How'd ya sleep?" Scout called from another table where he had just drained his bowl of cereal.

She smiled at him. "Really well, thanks."

The boy skipped over the table and jogged to her, full of energy. He hopped in place in front of her, the boyish grin never leaving his face.

"Ya ready for your first day? I ain't sure what Medic's gonna have ya do, but good luck anyway." He told her sincerely.

"Thanks..." She paused and then turned to Medic. "What AM I supposed to do, by the way." She asked.

Just when Medic opened his mouth to answer, he was completely cut off by Soldier's roaring American voice than suddenly began to sound in the room.

"ALL RIGHT MAGGOTS, FRONT AND CENTER. IT'S TIME." He yelled.

"And that, my dear, is our cue to leave." Medic whispered in her ear and dragged her off back into the hallway. Before turning a corner, she got a glimpse of the others forming a straight line in front of Soldier.

"Is he like, the general or something?" She asked as they went all the way back to the infirmary.

"Um, no. Vee just like to humour him." He snorted. "Anyvay, I vill need you to listen closely." He told her as he opened the door.

"I'm listening."

Medic began a long explanation about where all the equipment was and what were some of the usual injuries that the other men suffered from time to time. Burns, cuts, bruises...those 3 summed it all up. Surprisingly though, when it came to medication, they had a good amount.

"I'm sorry you are going to 'ave to do it the old fashion vay, dear. I only 'ave one medic gun."

"It's okay..." Nurse answered, a little confused, seeing as she had no idea what the hell a medic gun was.

"Both vindows of your room and of the infirmary look over the battlefield. Your job vill be to simply observe and ready the things that you vill need to fix them up." He continued, gazing out the window.

She didn't quite understand in the beginning, but then she got an idea. That was the reason why she had been given that room: to be able to watch the fights and ready the equipment.

"So then I rush out and –"

"No, no, no my dear. You stay here. When it is time , they vill come to you. Understand?"

"But what if it's severe?" She asked.

"Then I vill take care. You vill not leave this room. I do NOT vant you to get hurt and I do NO vant the other team to know of your existence."

"But the windows –"

"Are tinted, my dear. You see them, they do not see you." He poked her with a gloved finger.

She forced a smile and nodded. Sure, she was safe, but she wasn't sure if she would be able to restrain herself from running off into the battle or throw some painkillers through the window. But she couldn't do that. For some reason, the other team could not see her. She wanted to ask why, but a loud gunshot resonated through her ears.

"It has started. I must go. Good luck." With a swipe of his lab coat, he disappeared through the door.

Lost as of what to do next, she began slowly pacing in the room. She looked around, taking in all the details, all the cabinet locations and the drawers. That way, when there was an emergency, her movements wouldn't be hesitant and she wouldn't have to waste time looking for the right one to open. Plus, Medic had showed her where all the medication was, so she had an idea.

The first explosion was heard 10 minutes after Medic's leave.

Without another though, she dashed to the window and peered through it. As expected, there was smoke rising into the air but no one seemed to be hurt. In fact, the explosion had taken place at the enemy's base, which meant none of her OWN teammates were hurt, right? She counted just to make sure...1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and... Where the hell way Spy? She could have sworn he was there a second go. Did he just... She gasped to herself in the empty room when she saw the Frenchman appear and then disappear once again. How the hell was he even doing that? Who the hell else was missing... Oh Sniper (proud she remembered). But it's normal that he wouldn't be out there with them, seeing as his job consists of 'sniping'. It would be pointless having him on the battlefield.

A loud laugh was heard and she quickly shifted her eyes to see Demoman shooting more explosives towards the other base. With each chuckle, he took a sip from the bottle he was carrying around with him. But he wasn't the only one drinking. Scout had a can of something in his hand and was chugging it down at alarming speed. When he finished, he crushed it in his palm, through it aside and dashed off. Not only did he dash off, he went at an unnatural speed that Nurse had never seen before. He was even carrying a bag and a bat! How was that possible!

Soon, another loud explosion boomed through the walls of the base, this one louder, meaning it had hit home. The floor shook a little, but Nurse made herself calm down. It was certain that the other team had left their own base as well. With the fear of being blown to bits, she gazed out the window and happen to see 6 other people, all men, run out and –Jesus Chris did they look alike! She couldn't really tell by their faces though, but the way they dressed was EXACTLY the same...only in red. The haircuts, the body types even the expressions were almost identical to the Blu's. If she was color blind, she'd surely end up mistaking one of them for her own teammates.

She watched in a mix of horror and amazement as the two Pyros rushed at each other, both flamethrowers being used without restraint. The Spies had disappeared and so had the Scouts. Everyone else was just fighting normally...well, as normal as fighting could get.

"DIE!" She heard the Soldier yell and begin shooting at the other Soldier. That's when the OTHER Pyro saw this and began shooting fire at the American man. With a loud yell of pain, he fell backwards and ran away to begin shooting at somebody else.

Judging by how the flames had barely reached him enough to burn through his clothes, Nurse decided to go with 1st degree burns and took out the Polysporin out of the drawer.

"We don't want that to scar..." She whispered to herself as she took out a few bandages as well.

She continued watching. Heavy seemed to be alright with him humongous gun that he seemed to carry around with ease. Spy, Sniper and Scout were out of sight. Only Demoman's voice could be heard along with Engineer's pounding metallic noises. The Medics were also carrying around these guns and no one seemed to be really shooting at them, as some form of respect maybe? Whatever. These people were all insane and she still didn't see any point in fighting. It couldn't even be called an interracial war since each of them was from one side of the planet! And it didn't look like they were very religious either, so what in the world was pushing them to go around blowing each other's heads off!

Another loud scream reached her ears and she turned to see Engineer bleeding from a deep gash in his arm. The man ripped off a piece of his own clothing and wrapped it tightly around the wound. Even though he couldn't see her, she nodded approvingly and took out yet another roll of bandaging.

Suddenly, from afar, she saw something fly out an open window and land to the floor. Squinting through the sunlight beaming at her, she realised, holy fuck, it was someone's hand. Panicked she began searching and rummaging through her equipment, but what was the use! She had no idea how to fucking reattach a whole hand. A finger, maybe, but a hand...no way.

"Medic!" She heard a voice call. She supposed it was the same injured person. Medic heard because he suddenly spun around pointing that odd gun of his upwards. He pulled on the lever and...

What the hell was that?

There was this transparent ray of blue that flowed out of the machine and went towards the person who was up in the building. She couldn't tell, but he seemed to be in a fight since he kept swinging his body around. She felt nauseous and felt as if she was more stressed watching the scene than the actual people living it.

She was about to ready another bandage because that was the least she could do, when she suddenly felt something cold and metallic press against her neck, pulling her backwards against something hard. She couldn't breathe and wanted to yell. To her dismay, no noise was coming out.

"Where's the Intel?" A voice attempted to whisper dramatically into her ear.

"The –the what?" She tried to say, but her voice came out too rasp and she wasn't sure if her attacker had understood.

"Whoa!" He yelled from behind her, instantly letting her go and pushing her away as well.

Nurse fell to the floor and began coughing and breathing heavily from the momentary lack of air. She twisted her neck to get a glimpse of the absolutely astonished looking young man standing frozen behind her, his steel bat hanging loosely in his arm by his side.

"Y –you...who the fuck are ya'?" He asked her, stretching his arms in front of him, as if she had no idea who he was talking about. God, he sounded like Scout. Same age, same body, same accent... his face was different though and so was his hair color. More importantly, how'd he get in, what the hell was an Intel and why did he almost try to choke her.

"No one! Y –you need to get out of here!" She told him. She wanted to stand up, but even on the floor, she could feel her limbs shaking. Trying to get up would just result in her knees buckling and complete humiliation in front of the enemy who wasn't even supposed to be aware of her existence! Great, her cover was blown! And on her first day on top of that!

"H –hey! You listen to me blue girl, I dunno who the fuck you ar' but tell me where the Intel is!" He demanded threateningly, although his voice's pitch was uneven, going high and back low; he was as nervous as she was.

"What are you even talking about!" She asked her, scooting herself backwards, until her spine hit one of the drawers.

"Don't play dumb!" He pointed at her and took a step forward. "This room has always been locked and now –" He came to a pause, as if trying to be polite when she began to cough frantically. "Shit, you a'ight?" He asked her, his voice completely changing.

"You hurt my throat." She whispered between two very hoarse coughs. Her eyes began to water and she used her sleeve to wipe them off.

"Fuck no! Don't cry! H-hey I'm sorry ok? J-just need the Intel." He said defensively, his hand motions all over the place.

"I don't know what an Intel is." She answered, finally gathering the courage to stand up. "And I'm not crying."

"Seriously?"

She didn't answer him and just shook her head as a negative. She went back to one of her drawers, taking out some disinfectant and some cotton swabs.

"How do you not know what an Intel is! What, did you like, get here yesterday?"

She didn't even bother answering him there and instead, dipped the swab into the transparent liquid.

"I mean, this room had always been locked ya' know, so you can't blame me fo' being suspicious now that the door was left wide open like that. Plus if I don't get that Intel, Soldier's gonna have my ass and –OW! What the fuck are ya' doing!" He squeaked, jumping backwards, his hand tightly gripping the bleeding scratch on his arm.

"You were bleeding." She said. "That can get infected if you leave it like that." She spoke with no emotion. She really shouldn't be fixing him up like that, but if she didn't get her hands busy at any second, she would start screaming and panicking.

"You didn't poison me right? I'm not gonna like...slowly die or anything."

"It's alcohol disinfectant..." She said, thinking it would be self explanatory, but apparently not since that seemed to scare him more. "It won't do anything." She added.

"Oh...'kay." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly and swung his bat over his shoulder. "Sorry for um...yeah. 'Imma go now." He said and rushed off into the hallway. She didn't know if she had to stop him or anything...alerting the team members maybe? But how the hell was she supposed to do that? Sighing, she walked back to the window to continue her observations. If this is how she was going to spend her time here, might as well get used to it and try not to piss her pants every single time something weird happened. Also, she felt kind of guilty for having helped out that Scout, but better that than losing her mind right?

The rest of the day went by, with her occasionally taking out a few bandages and some painkillers. After a while, everyone retreaded. She found out later that there was such a thing called 'ceasefire'.

"What the hell is that stuff!" Soldier shouted in the infirmary. She had others waiting outside, but she needed to take care of him first. The burn was worse that she had thought it would be.

"It's cream, sir. I'm going to have to ask you to roll your sleeve up please." She asked him sweetly.

"You're not rubbing that crap on me, pal!" He said, turning his head away from her.

"Sir, it's just some medicine I need to put on your arm so the burn won't scar."

"I've had worse scars than THAT, let me tell you!" He said, pushing up his sleeve and pointing at the redness, like it wasn't a big deal at all.

Nurse took this opportunity and squeezed out an honest amount on the man's arm.

"Hey!" He snatched his arms away.

"Sir, calm down. It'll soothe the burning and you'll sleep better too, okay?" He didn't seem too convinced. Losing her patience, Nurse also lost her sweet tone of voice. "Listen sir," She started over more assertively. "The crap is already on you, so might as well rub it on there not to waste it, okay? I'll spare you the bandaging if the Polysporin is hurting your pride that much."

Frowning at her from underneath his helmet, he muttered an angry 'fine' and began to roughly spread the white cream over his arm. Despite his tough attitude, Nurse didn't miss him flinching at the mere touch of the wound. With a nod and another salute, he left her room once again.

"Engineer, you're next!" She called.

"Hello." The man greeted him.

"Hi. I hope you're not as proud as Soldier, because that scar really needs to be sewn up." She said.

"Nah, I don't mind being taken care of. I have a wife and 3 daughters back home. I'm pretty much used to it." He told her and sat down on a chair.

Nurse laughed and gently unwrapped the torn bloody fabric, discarding it into the trash bin. She started by cleaning up the cut as much as she could, numbing it and then got to work, sewing it up with the steady hand that she had.

"You're doing pretty good, but aren't you a bit too young to be doing this?" He asked her.

"Yeah...I'm really not supposed to be, but Medic seems to have a lot of faith in me for some reason." She answered, her eyes not leaving the cut she was slowly sealing up.

"I see. Well, you're doing me and him a huge favour by helping out."

"How come?"

"The Medic's gun won't need as much charging as it used to and I won't have to build provision machines every five minutes." He said and chuckled. She laughed too, even though she had not idea what he was talking about. She wanted to ask him about that Medic gun, but decided against it. The guy was probably tired and wanted to go to bed or something. They hadn't really eaten dinner all together either. Whoever had the time or the appetite went downstairs, grabbed some food and went back up. Nurse, on her part, was not the least bit hungry.

"There. How's that feel, sir?" She asked him, pulling away from his arm.

"First off, great job. It doesn't hurt at all." He said and stood up. "Second, call me sir one more time, and I just might aim some of my sentry's at you."

She giggled and blushed. "Sorry."

"That's fine. See ya' tomorrow kid."

"Bye."

Once Engineer had left, she decided to call it a day and get ready for bed. She got up, washed her hands, and was about to close the door, when a voice called her from the waiting room.

"Hey! Did ya' forget about me!"

Nurse started and felt her breath get caught in her throat. Why was he here? How'd he get in? But before she jumped to any insane conclusions, she remembered.

"They sound the same..." She whispered to herself and appeared in the waiting room a moment later.

"You owe me a French lesson!" The blue scout stood and smiled at her with excitement.

So he was serious...she thought.

"Oh. That's right. I had forgotten."

"That's cool. Let's get started." He said and dashed into her bedroom.

Once she had changed into her comfortable PJs and was sitting cosily on her bed, they began Scout's very first French lesson.

"So how much do you know?" She asked him.

"Bonjour. Au revoir. Merci. Moi." He enumerated on his finger. He knew four words. Sure, it was good that he knew, but that wasn't much.

"Okay, is there something specific you want to know French for? Like, are you going to visit France or..."

"I wanna be able to speak it." He said, a sudden determination taking over his face.

"I see..." She pondered. Where should she start with him.

"Je m'appelle Scout." She threw a random sentence at him; fairly easy.

"My name is Scout?"

"Exactly." She said and began explaining to him how verbs worked. Sure, it was a huge step, but if he really wanted to learn that bad, he would just have to try hard.

They spent the night practicing their French, until around midnight. That's when the conversation changed and they began talking about other things. He taught her some other basic rules about how things worked. She was dead tired, but very thankful for his company. She felt a little less alone in the world.

"So, how was your first day? Terrifying?" He laughed, but she didn't.

"Le Scout rouge m'a vu." She said solemnly and stared at the ground.

"Okay, I dunno what ya' just said, but I heard red Scout, so spill."

"He saw me." She said.

"Shit..."

"Yeah, but then he panicked and ran off when I tried to disinfect a wound of his." She explained to him.

"Why the hell would you do that?"

"It was either that or panicking, running around in circles and then dropping dead." She said.

"Ha-ha, yeah, you look like the type to do that." He laughed. "Did he hurt you?"

"A little, but he apologized." She said, and yawned.

" Good, I won't have to kick his ass then." He said, arrogantly. "Ah, you're tired. I'll leave." She was about to object, but she really was tired. Now that she told him, she felt much better and lighter. He got up and walked to the door, he stepped out but paused at the threshold.

"One more thing.." He said, keeping his back to her.

"Yeah?" She asked and pulled the covers up to her chest, snuggling under them.

"How do you say 'I love you'" He asked, his grip tightening on the doorframe.

She paused, but was too tired to figure him out.

"Je t'aime."


	3. Chapter 3

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 3- Clues

By, the Unlucky-Charm

**A/N. Okay, so here's the 3****rd**** chapter. I'm not a fan of this chapter, but I have great plans for the next ones. Also, there are a few point of views on this one. It usually changes after those 3 star things. It shouldn't be complicated to figure it out though. And lots and lots of thanks to my awesome reviewers. You people make my day, so keep the reviews coming please!**

"I swear I saw her!" The Red Scout shouted to his teammates who were clearly disregarding him. He had been singing the same song for the past hour and it was way too early in the morning for any of them to truly care.

"You were probably hallucinatin', mate." Their Sniper said. "Haven't seen much women around. Must be torture at your age, that is."

"What! No! She spoke to me! I TOUCHED her!" He argued, looking at each of them to back him up.

"That eez not the proper way to greet a lady you just met, Scout." The Spy said from the side of the room, causing Medic to snort out a laugh at his sly joke.

"What! No man, not like that!" He blushed. "I'm just tryin' to tell ya that I ain't hallucinatin'! She was like, some kind of doctor or somethin'."

"A doctor, you say? Haz anyvon killed the Blu Medic?" The Red Medic asked hopefully.

"Nah man!" Scout continued to bitch after everyone shook their head. "She was young and like scared n' shit."

Scout knew his angry ranting was all in vain, but it was frustrating when no one believed him. He knew he hadn't hallucinated, she was there for sure. She had touched him too. Scout ran a finger around the small healing scratch on his arm where she had touched him. She had been gentle, hell, he hadn't even felt her fingertips brushing over his skin until the fucking alcohol had made contact with his cut. Plus, he had almost strangled her with his bat. Yeah... he kind of felt shitty about that, especially since she ended up healing him too. She was nothing like a Medic, didn't look like one either, thank God. She was nice to look at but nothing interesting; way too plain. Although, he had to admit that he hadn't really taken a good enough look at her. Everything was just going so fast and she had her eyes and head lowered most of the time. He couldn't really remember her face clearly, despite how he had seen her less than 24 hours ago. Maybe he HAD imagined it...maybe he should ask his brother to send him his porn stash. Girls was one thing that this place was lacking.

"We don't have time for your crazy hallucinogenic CRAP, son! We have a war to win!" Soldier yelled and slammed his hand against anything that was in front of him.

"Alright! Spy, your job is to..." Soldier began to yell everyone's jobs and missions, which were the same as any other day. He didn't even know why they bothered with this. His job was to run and steal the enemy's intelligence; it always was and always will be, but it wouldn't hurt to skip for a day. This whole war was pointless anyway. What kind of war has only 18 people in it? He was bored with it all and maybe that's what was making him see things, if that was even the case.

Moments later, he was on the field, running his ass off, avoiding anything thrown at him, from bombs to bullets. He loved the feeling: untouchable.

He made it through the chaos and ran inside. The bases were identical on the outside and the inside, so he found his way pretty easily. He was in the main hallway, passing by bedrooms, the cafeteria, the TV room and then came his dilemma. 2 smaller corridors; one leading to where he was supposed to go and another to where his curiosity was leaning towards. One held the Intel and the other held her, if 'she' even existed that is. He was almost certain, but there was a doubt. It already sucked that he was stuck here in the middle of nowhere, the last thing he needed was going crazy.

"Shit." He hissed and ran the opposite way of the Intel. One glance, that's all he needed.

He ran, light on his feet, not making a single sound. This time, she had made it a point to close the door, but hadn't locked it though. He set his hand on the handle and slowly twisted it. The door opened and revealed a young girl, the same one he had seen last time, wearing a blue skirt and a white lab coat. She swung around and gasped at the sight of him standing in the doorway. In her hands was a syringe. Scout gulped loudly; that skirt was new...and so was the big needle.

"What do you want?" She asked, looking terrified.

"No-nothin'." He stuttered. "You're...real right?" He added and sounded incredibly stupid.

"Um...yes?"

They stood there awkwardly for a while, with her clutching her syringe and his gaze not tearing away from her. That one glance that he had earlier allowed himself grew into one hell of a long look because Scout couldn't bring himself to turn away. She was real, that was for sure. Didn't hallucinations have like these vague silhouettes and transparency? Well, she was 100% solid colors.

"Nice skirt." He blurted and then mentally slapped himself.

"Ugh. Medic gave me a single pair of pants and I got blood on them yesterday. So now, I'm stuck with this thing." She complained frowning down uncomfortably at the skirt and then blushing at her own words. "H-hey, you have to go." She demanded, trying to recompose her expression.

"Okay, okay, but I need a favour." He said and took in a deep breath. "I need you to follow me to my base."

She frowned and twisted the corner of her lips upwards. "You actually expect me to follow you to your base." She stated, blinking at him. "Like, what? Some kind of prisoner?" She added naively.

"No, no! I just want my team to see ya'. They didn't believe me when I told them about you." He explained, but he didn't have his hopes high. She wasn't like those dumb-blondes back home he was used to, at least she didn't look like one. Doctor's had to be smart, right? She looked scared, though. For some reason, that bothered him more than her refusing to follow him.

"I'm not gonna hurt you." He added, just to be helpful, even though he was holding a steal baseball bat in his hands which he used to choke her the other day...Aw man.

"No, I can't. I was told to stay." She said rapidly and walked toward a cabinet nervously.

"Okay, okay, if you weren't told to stay, would you come with me?" He asked, leaning on the door frame. Her movement stopped for a second and then resumed as she pulled out a medicine container.

"Well, no. You're a Red, aren't we enemies? That would be stupid of me." She mumbled the last sentence and stared down at the floor. She began to fiddle with the container, popping it open and snapping it close over and over again.

"A'ight. Let's say I'm not a Red either. Would like, leave with me...somewhere?"

What the fuck was he asking that for? It was completely irrelevant and a waste of time. However, he listened in intently for her answer.

She froze again and then bluntly dropped the container on the counter with a thud. Her eyes were still lowered and she had her side turned to him.

"Wh-what are you implying?"She asked.

What WAS he implying? It had become his turn to blush and look away. He scratched the back of his head and cleared this throat.

"Nah, I'm just playin' with ya'." He said awkwardly.

"Then could you leave please?" She had grabbed her stethoscope this time and wouldn't unglue her eyes or fingers from it. They were moving fast, her hands that is, flipping the end of the medical tool over and examining it.

He nodded and obeyed; something he usually never did. For the first time, he was about to let himself walk away, having had no effect on the person in front of him. Not even as insult! He had disobeyed his Ma so many fucking times, why was he listening to HER of all people. He would not let this happen.

"We're not done." He said and dashed off with the last word. Sure, it was a small victory, but it was enough to keep his pride and ego alive.

A loud, but short shriek burst out of Nurse's mouth when suddenly a female voice, coming from nowhere, announced: "You have failed" throughout the base. She fell to the floor in a fright and then scrambled back on her feet and dusted herself off, hoping nobody had seen that happen. Where the hell did that even come from! She scrambled to the window to check and see if anyone else had heard it, but apparently they hadn't. The Red team was grouped in front of their own base, smiling and patting each other on the back. Their Sniper was missing and so was the Scout, but two seconds later she saw him run up and join them. Her own team, contrary to the other, didn't look the least bit happy. They all walked separately to the base with their heads hanging low, some of them looking angry and others looking ashamed. What they had in common was that they were all wounded. Each and every one.

She ran to the entrance to meet them, just in case one them believed he was 'fine'. Ahem, Soldier.

"Everyone!" She rose her voice as much as she could. "Please get to the infirmary!"

"Everyone follo' Nurse! Heavy you are coming vith me." The Medic shouted louder in his German accent. Nurse was thankful because they seemed to always listen to whatever the doctor said.

"Doctor, you're limping." Nurse said to him.

"It's okay." He half hissed and half chuckled. "The big von needs operating." He said and patted Heavy on the arm that wasn't busy clutching at his giant stomach, practically being the only thing holding the insides in. How was he still standing?

"Here, take this." He turned his back to her, motioning toward the weird looking oxygen tank-like containers. She quickly slid it off of him. The machinery was heavy and suddenly, she was handed some kind of gun to go with the whole thing. "There's not enough juice in it to fix Heavy up, but –" He sucked in some breath. He was in pain. "There should be enough to fix some of the others."

Although she was so very confused, she nodded and walked off. She led the way to the infirmary with Sniper walking by her, holding half of what she believed was the so called Medic gun.

"Thank you." She mumbled. "You okay?"

"I'm alright, mate." A few grunts were heard from behind them. "They don't seem like it though."

She chuckled sarcastically and walked into the infirmary with everyone behind her.

"Okay, um, all of you sit down. Sniper, help me figure out how this thing works."

She let out a breath of air and turned to her gang of patients. They were sitting there, obviously in pain, but looked...used to it? She couldn't really tell, but Demoman was sort of just sitting there with his own arm in one of his hands and yet still trying to drink the bottle of alcohol he carried around.

"Okay, we'll do you first." She said, pointing at Demoman. "Agh!" She squeaked as she felt something heavy settle on her shoulders.

"Just pull the lever."

Sniper handed her the giant gun that she held with difficulty and pulled the lever. A gasp of amazement left her lips as a string of electric blue came out of the nozzle and somehow reattached Demoman's arm back into the socket. She let go of the lever and the blue retreated, but her shocked face remained the same. She stared down at the gun and then at the Scotsman's arm. Her lips moved but no audible sound came out.

"H- How? What IS this thing!" She yelled.

From behind her, Sniper chuckled. "It's a Medic gun, mate." He snapped his fingers in front of her huge, widened eyes. "Like magic, ain't it?"

"Y-yea.. " She said and looked up at the crowd of 7 staring at her, somewhat amused and somewhat impatient. "Who's next?"

"You only got enough juice left for one more, lass." The Scotsman pointed out and took a swig from his drink with the arm she had just fixed.

"Um..." The Scout spoke awkwardly and rose his hand like in a classroom. "I think Spy should go next..." The Frenchman's eyebrows rose underneath his mask and sent a suspicious look toward the younger man. Scout looked away and blushed a little, sensing the oddness of his suggestion. "He got stabbed, dude. Like, through the shoulder."He addressed the Nurse alone this time, trying his best not to look at the Spy who wouldn't STOP looking at him.

Nurse was in a panic, but for half a second, she paused everything around her to put the pieces together. She was slowly understanding, but before the full answer could pop up, Spy removed his hand from his left shoulder, where a gaping wound was bleeding through the fabric of his suit.

"Oh God." She whispered and stumbled to pull on the lever.

"I am fi-" Before he could object, the blue rays had gotten to him and were closing up the hole. The Spy barely even glanced at what was happening and instead, casually pulled out a cigarette. When she turned the thing off, he mumbled a 'merci' and got up to leave. Nurse didn't miss Scouts eyes following him to the door, but she decided to ask him about that during their French lesson...

She worked until 7, her last patient being her favourite: Scout. He had hurt one of his ankles, so she wrapped it up as well as she knew how. While she was fixing up the before last patient, he had gone to his room and come back with his own bandaging, claiming that he 'fucks up' his ankles a lot, so Medic gave him his own bandages.

"So, how was fixing up Pyro like?" He teased and stuck his tongue out.

She smiled and rolled her eyes at him. "Extremely weird. He's really chatty, but I have no clue what he was saying. He ruffled my hair like fifteen times before, during and after I removed the shattered glass from his wounds."

"That's... kinda creepy." Scout said, and bounced off of the chair, hopping around the room to test his bandage. "Heh-heh, nice work, man."

"No problem." She smiled and began to store her equipment back into the cabinets. She could feel his gaze on her back and felt uncomfortable being stared at.

"How about we go get some dinner, huh? Then, we can come back here and continue our lessons." He rubbed his palms against each other and smiled boyishly at her.

She giggled. "Sure."

As they walked to the cafeteria, Scout decided to test Nurse's work and began bouncing all over the place, putting extra pressure on his injured foot.

"Wow, ya' did a good job. I can barely feel nothin'" He praised and swung his leg up to look at the foot.

"Thank you, but for the love of God, please stop before you hurt yourself again." She pursed her lips and eyed the bandages with worry.

Nurse knew she was a soft spoken person. She never really liked to raise her voice much and didn't like getting into other people's business either. For the longest time, in her head, the idea of 'doctor' had excited her. She always believed that with the title came respect and obedience. She thought that if people knew she was a doctor, she wouldn't have to raise her voice or be assertive. No, she could be herself and yet have the same authority as any other person. But now that she's here, it's not at all what she had expected. Even today, she couldn't get the crowd to listen to her so Sniper had to help out. And now, there was Scout right in front of her, jumping around on his injury to see how well she had wrapped it. Who DOES that anyway? Same goes for that other Scout; he just wouldn't leave. She considered threatening him with a scalpel or a syringe, but who was she kidding? She'd probably apologize two seconds after the threat left her lips. And a syringe? Really? What was she going to do; stab him with it?

At the thoughts of syringes and scalpels, her mind went to that Medic Gun she had used today. Never in her life or studies had she heard of such a thing, and yet she had used it a few hours ago. She just couldn't wrap her head around how something like that could work. It's almost impossible to reattach body parts, but that machine managed perfectly. She knew for a fact nothing like that existed back home or in any hospital she had visited in her life. Maybe it was a German thing... She doubted it. And what was that mist-like substance that flowed out of it? Whatever it was, it was absolutely mind blowing. Something like that should be commercialized or something. They should make a Medic pistol too! You know, for people who can't carry heavy objects.

Nurse snorted silently at herself. She had just used the machine and she was already making up ways to improve it. She didn't know squat about how it worked or even if it DID work. A small part of her was still so amazed that she was almost certain that she hallucinated the whole thing. If she brought that thing back home with her, she'd be considered a genius! The whole contraption would make a huge breakthrough in medicine too! Well obviously it would seeing as it's just a zapper that can fix you up in a matter of seconds. Another thing she didn't quite grasp was how it could 'run out of juice'. Did that mean it could be recharged? So what do you recharge it WITH?

"If you don't stop thinking right now, both our brains will explode." Scout poked her and pulled her out of her daze. "What's up?" He asked.

They had stopped in the middle of the hallway and she hadn't even noticed. Scout had also asked her a question, but her brain cells seemed to have slowed down.

"Um...uh, the Medic Gun." She babbled.

"What about it?"

"How come it...does that?" She asked hopefully, her eyes widening and staring up at him.

"Dunno. Asked the same thing on my first day but no answer. I just don't care anymore, as long as it works." He shrugged and continued walking.

"Hey, but what's that blue stuff in it!" She said, and jogged to keep up with him.

"Dunno."

"Does Medic know?"

"Probably."

There was a long pause during which Nurse mentally argued with herself on whether or not she should make any further inquiry about the device. Scout, sensing her dilemma, spoke up half heartedly.

"I don't ask questions around here. As long as there's some cash going to our families, we ain't complainin'." He told her.

Only then did the thought strike her that, even though she would be too timid to ask, she had no idea how or if she was being paid. Where was her money going? In the letter from Medic, there was a mention of checks with a very impressive number on them, but where the hell was she supposed to deposit them? She doubted there being an ATM machine anywhere out here. Even though the man scared her shitless, he didn't seem like the type to fuck people over and if the rest were being paid, then chances were that so was she. But Scout had mentioned family too. Was that why all these men were here? She could understand for most of them, but Spy didn't seem like the type to have kids and such. And Scout? How old was he anyway?

"W-wait, family? You're like...married?" She asked. He looked young, at least to her eyes and really not the type to want to settle down so quickly. And IF he was, then her earlier assumptions of which she was planning to speak to him about, were completely off.

"No way man! My Ma don't work and dad left, that bastard. Me and my bros take of her." Now that made more sense.

Without another word being spoken, they entered the eating area. A strong scent hit her with the stench of the grease and fat it was coming from; someone was frying something that clearly was NOT made to be fried. So yeah, let's just say they weren't having fries for dinner.

It was chicken, or so Pyro claimed. The breaded meat in front of her was shapeless but good. Judging by the color and taste...okay, so she had no idea what animal it came from, but it was good so she didn't complain either.

"Mmm, Pyro outdid himself with this hare, bro." Scout groaned with the food in his mouth.

Nurse's jaw froze as her head slowly processed what Scout had just said. Then, realising that the food was still in the confines of her mouth, her hands began to frantically paw around the table for some kind of napkin.

"You okay?" Scout asked after swallowing.

She didn't reply and instead grabbed a tissue, spitting out the contents of her mouth as discretely as possible without anyone else in the room realising.

"Whoa, what's wrong? Was it raw, 'cause he does that sometimes."

She gently set the napkin on the edge of her plate and slowly shook her head. Nurse glanced around, making sure there was no attention on them before leaning in and whispering.

"What did you say this meat was?"

"Hare." He casually replied.

"He said chicken!" She said, her eyes darting toward the man in the blue fireproof suit and mask.

"No...he said hare. You must have heard wrong, with his mask on and all..."

"Like...rabbit?"

"Yeah dude!"

She retreated back and sat straight. She gulped involuntarily and brought her fingertips to lay on her lips, barely touching.

"Oh God." She whimpered and pushed the plate away with her other hand. "I ate a bunny."

"Well hares are like bigger but –hey, are you some kind of vegetarian?" He asked with an accusing tone, as if it was some kind of crime is she was.

"N-no...not exactly. I just have a problem eating certain animals." Back home, all of her friends were like her. They had created the CCPF diet together which had become mainstream with the girls in their school. Nothing serious really, it was just for the fun of having a name for it.

"What are you like, animal racist or something?"

She ignored the fact that animals didn't really have races, but who was she to judge? She decided to tell him about the 'diet' that really could no count as one since it was equivalent to any regular diet. She spoke with a smile, to cancel the mistake she made of spitting out the good food. This way, it wouldn't look like such a big deal.

"Me and my friends called it the CCPF diet." She said and chuckled.

"I'm guessin' that stands for somethin' right?" He said, grinning lopsidedly and pointing the fork at her.

"Yeah. Stands for cow, chicken, pork and fish." She enumerated the animals on her fingers. "We don't eat any other kinds of meat."

"What? Why the fuck not?" He didn't sound outraged or anything, more like confused. She couldn't blame him. There really never was no valid reason for this other than 'bunnies and ducks are cute'.

"I don't know. I just can't bring myself to swallow food that was once a small rabbit, hopping around in a field. O-or a duck, just swimming around, minding its own business..." She paused and rolled her eyes at her own idiocy. "Basically, any cute animal: I can't eat."

Scout stared at her and nodded slowly, his fork dangling between his fingers. He looked like he was searching for something on her face, which pushed Nurse to look away as fast as possible.

"So what...you don't find baby cows cute?" He jerked his chin in her direction, a cocky smile appearing on his lips. He thought he had her cornered, but she had had too many arguments about this before; Scout didn't stand a chance.

"I don't eat veil." She grinned.

"What the fuck is veil?" He said, frowning a little and shaking his head.

"Veil IS baby cow."

"Agh! You and your fancy names for meat!" Scout stood up and stared down at her. "Grab your veggies miss hippy, we need to get studying but I can't have my teacher starvin' now, come on."

She rolled her eyes and smiled and him, grabbing the side dish of salad and following him out. A few eyes were on them, including Spy's. Nurse didn't pay much attention, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't see Scout and him make eye contact. Scout was the first to turn away with a fiery blush fading in. He picked up his pace and walked out, Nurse close behind, and with a wave, she marched out as well.

"I need to ask you something." She said, since nobody was within earshot anymore. "When we get to the room."

"You're place or mine?" Scout joked over his shoulder. She noticed that his blush was still there.

Okay, so at this point it had become kind of obvious to her. Although, Scout was the last person she would suspect, since he seemed to have the testosterone of 2 guys combined. Spy on the other hand...he gave off this unapproachable aura, so she wasn't sure about him.

'How about Spy's?' was what Nurse really wanted to answer, but they ended up heading to the infirmary because Scout's bandaged had loosened. Although he denied it, he had been picking at it with his other foot during dinner. There were brown footprints all over the white of the cloth, but even after pointing that out to him, he still claimed it was Nurse's fault for not tying it tight enough.

"Well, maybe I should have used the Medic Gun on you instead of Spy, hm?"

The priceless panicked expression that appeared on his face was mirrored by the obviously smug one on hers. Scout couldn't see that, too busy kicking himself for the suggestion he had made earlier that day, giving a certain team mate priority. Nurse felt bad (barely) and held the door open for him. This was only her third day and she was already feeling like she was back in high school. 9 guys in one base; surely there would be drama these boys didn't even know about.

They had a whole celebration about it, seeing as it was their first win since a long time. They had actually taken the time to bring in some alcohol and sit around a table all together. It was a rare occasion, but it was a whole lot of fun. It was one of those moments that everyone was happy, like they were all at some high school reunion, seeing each other for the first time in years. He didn't know about the BLU team, but the Reds never really socialized so times like these were really interesting.

He was having fun, to say the least, but he couldn't help but feel this pang of guilt every time he looked at Spy. The Frenchman was receiving praise for several of his team mates, but of course he himself remained indifferent. Hell, he could at least crack a fucking smile since everyone was talking about what a good job he did retrieving the Intel. Yeah...about that.

That was his job, he knew that. And sure, he didn't miss the few dirty looks he had received from Soldier for not having done it, but it wasn't his fault. He had been distracted! How was he supposed to know that Spy would go ahead and get the Intel himself? Although, he was thankful because if the man hadn't done so, he'd be in SO much shit.

The Red Scout watched as Engineer patted Spy's back, congratulating him once more. Spy nodded and then turned around, meeting eyes with Scout who looked away almost instantly. He hoped with all his might that Spy hadn't seen him do so, but who was he kidding? Of course he did. Spy saw everything.

"Excuse me." Spy suddenly announced, seizing Scout's attention. "I 'av an announcement to make."

All eyes were on him and everyone went silent, except for Demoman who shouted "Whoo! Speech!"before being shushed by Medic.

"I would just like to say merci for everything tonight." He said emotionlessly, followed by a few cheers from around the room. "But I would also like to mention something a little more important." The room went completely still as Spy's voice took a more serious turn. "I would be lying if I said that Scout was, in fact, doing his job. However! He is no liar nor is he crazy. There eez, in fact, a female...how you say...nurse, in team Bleu."

"What!" Soldier yelled.

All eyes turned, in unison, toward a flabbergasted Scout. Had he just said that? Out loud?

"A tenth member..." Medic pondered contemplatively.

"Are they even allowed?" Engineer asked Sniper, who in turn, just shrugged.

"What she look like?" Heavy demanded, slamming his giant fist against the table.

The loud sound silenced everyone once more, leaving a group of quiet people still staring at him. Scout had a lost look on his face and was not sure what to do or say. There wasn't much he knew about her. Despite having met her twice, he hadn't really asked anything of importance. Now that he thought about it, they never really shared an meaningful conversation. Just basically her telling him to get out and him refusing.

"Scout, 'eavy asked a question." Spy said to him patronizingly. "Would you like to do the honours, or will I?"

Scout did not appreciate that tone of his and composed his face instantly. He frowned and sat on the table, giving him slight leverage over his team mates. Everyone was STILL staring at him, making him fell uncomfortable, but hell, the last thing he would do was show it!

"She's tiny." He began, mostly addressing Heavy. "She's really small and like...kind of rounded, ya know? She has brown hair, sorta' long I guess. She's chubby."

"Like me?" The big Russian asked.

"Um, not exactly. She was wearing a skirt today, so I could tell that she wasn't really thin. She has meat on her. Basically, she looks like any other chick. Nothing special about her."

There was a moment of silence, followed by Pyro saying something that came out muffled, as usual. Everyone was used to it by now, so they knew the man had said something around the lines of "is she nice?".

"Well how the bloody hell is he supposed to know that, mate?" Sniper poked at Pyro, but Scout already had a cocky smile spread on his face.

"She is." He answered, making Sniper's head snap back to him.

"Pardon?"

"She's a BLU, but she's really nice." He explained. "First time I saw her, she disinfected a cut."

Everyone looked a little confused, just like him, and were watching him, waiting for another explanation; one he didn't have. He didn't know WHY she had done that, but he had found it as weird as him team mates did. For the record, some of them seemed impressed. He wasn't sure if it was with him they or if it was with the girl's kindness though. Even Spy looked a little surprised at his discoveries. He decided to humour him.

"Spy? Anything to add, bro?" He teased, calling the Frenchman 'bro', knowing how much that pissed him off. Scout wore a smug smile because for the first time, he was going to have the last word.

"In fact, I do."

What?

"When I was cloaked and passed by you, I overheard a part of your conversation." He said, starting to pace around the room with the cigarette in his mouth. Fuck, Scout wanted to rip it out of his lips, he was so god damned pissed. "I believe she is working for Medic."

Ha! What an idiot! He was wrong. She never mentioned anything about working for Medic! Where the fuck did he get that from?

"The young lady was wearing a skirt."

Oh.

"And when Scout made a comment saying, quote: "Nice skirt."..." Damn it, the ass hole was composed but fuck he could hear the taunting in his voice. He was making a fool out of him and he knew it.

A few snickers went around the room along with some suggestive glances at Scout, right after Spy had the fucking decency to mention the comment he involuntarily made.

Spy finished his story and came to the conclusion that yes, she was in fact working for Medic since he was the one who had provided her with a uniform. And once again, he received more praise. The evening died out and eventually everyone was headed back to their rooms.

"Scout!" Soldier yelled right before everyone was about to leave. "I want you to do your job next time!" The man paused and Scout could tell he wasn't finished. "But if you can, find out more about this girl." He added in a lower voice and headed out.

He didn't need to tell him twice.


	4. Chapter 4

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 4- Silent Answers

By, the Unlucky-Charm

**Blu Scout P.O.V.**

Last night with Nurse had been a mess. More like I WAS the damn mess. She asked me a bunch of questions that led to a certain point that she never got to. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy she didn't go there, but it was all very uncomfortable for me. She asked me things that I was expecting, like why I wanted to learn French and some other general questions about the bases and the team. What scared me was how she was concentrating on Spy the most, but I didn't have the guts to point it out.

'Why didn't you just ask Spy to teach you?' Was her final question. That's when I truly screwed up. My face got all hot and I was real agitated. She smirked and looked super happy about my reaction. I got pissed, but I tried to hide it as well as possible. At this point, I believed that we both knew of my situation but we kept silent, for my sake.

'I really do wanna learn. I need your help.' I had told her and maybe that had a double meaning, maybe it didn't, but she accepted either way. She would help me with my French and she would help me with…the other problem, at least that's how I interpreted it.

'I'll help you.' She had answered with a giant grin.

I felt like a load was taken off my shoulders even though I hadn't revealed anything. Now that this 'load' was gone, I was lighter and when it came to running, the lighter the better.

I had been running for a good 20 minutes now without stopping, just as a warm up though. The real action was about to start, so I checked if everyone was in place. However, the only people who were important to me were Spy and Nurse, but I couldn't even see them due to the invisibility thing and the tinted windows. I guess I cared about Engie too, since he had seriously cute daughters who always sent him drawings and report cards with happy face stickers; I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to a guy with a family and everything.

A gunshot resonated, pulling me out of my thoughts. It wasn't much of a shock since I lived through this every day, but I could just imagine poor Nurse starting every time. Right after the gun shot, came Heavy's loud battle cry and then the other Heavy's battle cry. And so it begun.

Medic's main rule was not to be distracted with what the others were doing (that was his job), so I just kept on running no matter who yelled what. I ran to the roof of our base because as dangerous as it was, my favourite thing to do was jump from building to building.

Once on top, I noticed something. On each corner of the roof, there were these circular objects that glowed red. I glanced back to the other building, only to see the Red Demoman running off with an annoying grin on his face and his precious booze. These explosions weren't all that bad. They didn't cause much damage to the building but you wouldn't want to be caught in the middle of it. I simply hopped off onto the unit connected to the main building. Its roof was much lower, but I soon came to see that it was just as rigged. The bombs began to blink and beep, but before I could run off, something slammed straight into my body, flinging me off the low roof and onto the dusty ground.

I opened my eyes. I was in the middle of the battlefield, which was the worst situation ever because not only could people shoot at me from all directions, there was something weighing down on me, preventing any movement. I tried to push it off, but it latched itself onto me.

"Do not move, zey weel know it's me." A husky voice sporting a French accent spoke into my ear. The warmth of his breath spread over the side of my face. The air got caught in my throat and I felt like I was choking. Dozens of explosions were sounding from all around us.

The selfish bastard had me lying down out in the open and all he could think about was how he could slip away unnoticed. He saved me from the explosion but he was going to get me killed now for sure.

"Sheet." I heard him mutter and suddenly, like a fuzzy television, he materialized before my eyes. The dark brown eyes behind the mask stared into mine, but I couldn't bring myself to stop looking so bewildered. I wanted to look away because I was heating up and blushing, that was for sure, but I've never gotten so close before. I wish he weren't wearing his mask, then I could see his face.

Spy began to move. His whole body rubbed against mine and as he tried to get up, his crotch slid against mine and fuck, just...fuck.

I hissed and he stopped halfway, sliding back, making this whole situation all the more unbearable for me. I was hardening, but he began searching for wounds, thinking he had hurt me.

"Are you alright?" He asked, patting me down gently.

I prayed to God he wouldn't move his lower body. I prayed he wouldn't look down.

**Nurse P.O.V.**

Nurse dropped the dozen syringes she had just finished disinfecting when the first bomb of the day exploded. She could never get used to this and almost pissed herself every time the noise resonated through both bases.

"Damn it." She muttered, quickly picking them up so she could go to her 'station' and watch what was happening outside. The other day, Pyro had brought her a comfortable chair from some storage unit (at least that's what she understood when he spoke) so she can sit on while keeping an eye on them. Nurse thought that was real sweet, so made a point to use it.

When watching the battle, she tried to give each team member an equal amount of attention so she wouldn't miss anything. However, she couldn't deny that her eyes always unconsciously slid their way to their Scout, no matter how hard she tried to concentrate on other things. Nurse had gotten attached to him, and she'd be lying if she said that the rest of team was as important to her, even though they had just met.

It was already 10 minutes into the battle that a series of explosions came from the roof. The floor under her feet shook for a couple of seconds, but Medic had warned her about this. She dropped the syringes again. Ugh.

She checked outside to see if everyone was okay. In the middle of the field, there lay the Scout. 'Get out of there!' She whispered to herself in a panic, but he didn't. He seemed to be struggling, but with what? There was nothing around him...

The second the reality became clear in her head, so did Spy. His invisibility must have worn off or something, but that wasn't the problem. He was laying on top of Scout, practically fucking dry humping him! Spy slid back and forth over Scout torso and then started touching him all over the place. Was Scout hurt? It didn't matter even if he was. If Spy didn't stop touching him like that, he'd surely come across something that might even change HIS stoic expression.

"Fuck!" Nurse shouted in my empty infirmary.

Nurse knew what Medic had said and also that it would be wrong to, but she couldn't just stand there and watch that.

She had never run so fast in her life. Her feet pounded against the wooden and metal staircases until her eyes were met with the bright light of the sun, shining straight into her face. Medic was nowhere to be seen and the gunshots that could be heard were further away. Once she believed it to be safe enough, Nurse dashed into the field.

"Get off him!" She yelled frantically.

Spy looked up and frowned when he saw her. Scout, still his back to the floor, twisted his neck to look at who was coming to his rescue.

"Nurse!" He yelled.

Spy had not budged though, so Nurse carelessly shoved him off. She took his place and cradled Scout between her own legs, pretending to be checking for wounds. In the lower regions, as expected, she came across a bulge; one a little to hard for him to be able to run. When her hand brushed against it, he whimpered.

"He's hurt. That fall could have been fatal." She lied, sounding as professional as possible without bursting out laughing in Spy's confused face.

Nurse helped Scout get up, under the watchful gaze of their Blu Spy. She maintained her composure and so did Scout, but she wasn't sure if he was really 'trying'. He really did look like he was in pain; he was biting down on his lip, he had his eyes shut tight and with every step we took, he hissed and tightened his clutch on the back of her shirt.

"You can't just take him like that!" The Spy called from behind us.

"He's injured." The young lady argued. "I'm just gonna use that healing gun on him and send him back."

Spy rolled his eyes and grunted, disappearing into think air again. Now that he was gone, the two of them jogged to safety, into the base. She slammed the door behind them and breathed heavily to catch her breath. She turned around only to see Scout crouched down on the floor, with his head buried between his knees.

"Aw jeez..." He muttered.

"You okay?"

"Not really." He said, looking up to her with a sad smile. "This is kind of embarrassing, y'know?"

She chuckled and tugged at his arm so he could get up.

"We need to go to the infirmary. Someone will see you here."

They went upstairs to her 'office'. It was as empty as when she had left it and nothing seemed to have moved. Nurse poured Scout a glass of water so he could calm down and get back out there. He held the glass with both of his bandaged hands and stared down at the floor.

"Thanks." He muttered. "You saved my ass."

"You're welcome. Are you...um, feeling better?"

"Huh? Oh...yeah, I am."

There was an awkward silence and Nurse had no idea what to do. He just sat there, drinking from his glass, but judging by the look on his face, he wasn't too happy about what had happened out there. She wanted to tell him to leave and got back to fighting, but wouldn't that be just a little bit cruel since he looked so upset?

"You know..." She started, seating herself next to him. "From up here, it looked like he was doing it on purpose." She hoped he'd understand what she was talking about.

For a second, he just gazed straight at her, like he was searching for something on her face. It made the girl feel uncomfortable...more than she already was. He sighed and shook his head.

"Yeah, it looked that way from where I was too." He said, bitterly sarcastic.

She threw my head back and laughed because the poor guy just sounded so damn annoyed about everything. Soon enough, he began laughing too. The mood went from being really awkward, to being very relaxed and happy. This unfortunate event had already become something they were laughing about.

"No, but seriously, what the hell was he doing?" She asked him. "It really looked like...something else."

He snorted out a laugh and rolled his eyes again. "The bastard was trying to get up without being noticed, but since I kept making it obvious, he just kept going back to his initial position."

"Then why the fuck were you making it obvious?" She laughed and punched his arm.

"I panicked, man! The guy was ON TOP OF ME." Scout said, getting even closer to her face with every word he spoke. He was just teasing, though. Nurse felt like even if he did get too close for comfort, she wouldn't mind. Finding out that he plays for another team has made her feel much more at ease in his presence.

"Well, I should probably go." Scout said, standing up to stretch, but then didn't do much else.

"So, you getting used to everything? Bombs still scarin' ya'?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, but I'll be fine I guess."

"Must suck for you right? Having to wear the same clothes all the time." Scout laughed. She forced a few chuckles out as well, but wasn't sure what he was implying exactly. Was it because she was a girl? Was she really supposed to be bothered by this? She glanced down at her short lab coat and tugged at it; she really didn't mind at all. You could even say it made getting dressed in the morning easier for her.

Nurse, since she was young, had always been a simple person. She had never indulged herself with expensive clothing, fancy food or unnecessary things that would make most girl squeal. It was an easy break for her parents too, since a simple pad of paper and pencils made her the happiest child on Christmas. Draw, write and read; that all she ever needed to occupy herself. Despite being in a very wealthy family, her mother was just like her and had not let the money get to her upon marrying Nurse's dad. As a teenager, Nurse would sneak into her mom's walk-in closet, with its empty racks but shelves full of books and grab anything with a pretty cover. It was only after her mom realised what she was up to that Nurse got to read all the best titles.

'Charles Dickens...' She had whispered, addressing the book more than her daughter. 'Go slow with him, you'll want to savour every word to truly understand.' Her mother's words had been the best advice she had ever given to her daughter.

"Hey! I'm just screwin' with ya', you look fine." Scout said, pulling Nurse out of her moment of reminiscing. She just noticed that she hadn't stopped tugging at her clothes this whole time, which must have made her seem uncomfortable in what she was wearing, triggering Scout's concern.

"Thank you." She said, but she already knew she looked fine. She always looked fine; not amazing or terrible, just fine. She was never the type who cared and always had been the kind that was happy in her own skin. She had never paid any attention to her clothes until recently, since skirts never really had been part of her wardrobe (at least not when they were as short as this one).

Silence reigned once more and Nurse waited for Scout to make his departure announcement final and actually LEAVE. The young man opened his mouth to say, what nurse hoped was a 'see you later' or something, but all that was heard was a loud creaking noise that cut him off.

"Shit..." Someone whispered.

The two Blus spun around in unison, only to see the head of a Red Scout peeking through the thin opening of the door he had just attempted to open silently.

Before Nurse could say anything or even react, her teammate had taken action.

"What the fuck!" He yelled at the intruder, slamming open the door with his boot and grabbing the Red Scout from his collar. He pulled him into the room and dumped him onto the floor at Nurse' feet.

"What the hell are ya' trying to do, huh?" The Blu Scout asked the one on the floor, pointing his gun straight at his face. Nurse hadn't even noticed him having one, she hadn't even seen him pull it out and now wanted nothing more than for him to put it away. At the moment, all she could do was gape at Scout in awe. The speed at which he had reacted was incredible. By watching her rivals and teammates fight every day, she had believed their methods to be very reckless, clumsy and sometimes messy, but she must have been wrong. The way Scout was acting was very professional and...trained?

"None of your business." The Red Scout spat at him in the same accent.

"Oh yeah? Well, listen here buddy," Scout crouched down to the other's level and grabbed him by the collar again. "the second you mess with this chick right here, ya' messin' with me. Got it?" Scout growled and released him.

"Ey, I wasn't doing shit to her, okay?" He got up to his feet and dusted himself off. "I just gotta talk to her." He added, pointing to Nurse with his thumb.

"What? That's bullshit! What the fuck are you gonna even talk to her about? The fucking weather?" Scout was getting really angry and really red as well. "I got a job to do and so do you, so how about we both get the fuck outta here and let the lady work, huh?"

"Fuck you. Don't tell me how to do my job. I ain't goin' nowhere."

"What? What the hell are you gonna do here?" Scout said, practically yelling at this point. He paused for a second to go over what he had just said and then made his frown deepen as his anger flared all the more.

"I swear, if you fucking hurt her..." He threatened through clenched teeth, taking a step closer to the Red Scout, who, in turn, straightened his shoulders.

Nurse knew what was coming up and wanted it to stop. She didn't feel like dealing with it and considered getting this over with by shooting them both with the sedatives she had found in the closet. But she didn't move. She stood where she was, completely still, waiting for one of them to make the first blow.

"He won't." She muttered all of a sudden, addressing her Scout and answering his question. It wasn't really meant to be an attempt to stop them from fighting, but it worked. The two froze in their stances and stared at her.

"What?" Scout exclaimed, letting his stretched back arm release and fall to his side.

"He won't hurt me." She repeated. "You can go, if you like. I can deal with him."

Her teammate frowned at her. "Fine then." He said and walked to the door. "Better for me." Scout didn't sound very pleased with the idea, which made Nurse feel a little bad since he had protected her.

"One less guy to beat the crap out of." He added and finished by slamming the door loudly behind him.

Nurse sighed. She had upset him and she knew she'd have to apologize. She hated apologizing, it always made her feel weak and very awkward. What she couldn't understand though, was why she had said that in the first place. She must have hurt his ego or something. She really had meant no harm. Truth be told, she didn't even know what she HAD meant. All she really wanted was to stop a fist fight from breaking out in her infirmary. The sedatives were starting to sound like a much better plan right now...

"Boy, was he pissed off!" The Red Scout said, plopping himself down in the armchair.

"Yeah, thanks to you." She muttered, but he didn't hear her.

He won't hurt me, she thought. How was she so sure of that? She had never spoken to him properly other than the times she had asked him to leave, they have never spent any significant time together, hell, they didn't know each other's real names! So what gave her the idea that it was safe to be alone with him? He acted friendly, but that didn't mean he didn't have other motives. It would be weird if he didn't! That would mean he was going through all this trouble to talk to her. She's a Blu, he had no reason to want to talk to her. And he's a Red, she thought, which gave her no reason to let her guard down like that.

So why did she?

Too many questions. She had too many question on her mind and if she thought any longer, her head would explode.

"What do you want?" She ended up asking him dryly.

"I told you last time, we weren't done." He answered and stood up again.

She didn't say anything. She wanted to tell him that SHE, for one, was done and would like him to leave, but he'd probably have a smartass comment for that as well.

"That guy your boyfriend?" He asked out of nowhere, jerking his head toward the door from which Scout had left.

"No. I just met him."

"So, he might be in the future." He teased.

"No." She said simply and continued re-disinfecting the syringes she had dropped earlier in the morning.

She heard the faint sound of footsteps and glanced sideways to check if he had finally taken the hint and left. Instead, she gasped and dropped the needles into the tray. How, she didn't know, but he was. Right. Behind. Her.

"Scared?" He asked, some kind of a threat laced in his voice.

She stood completely still. "Yup." She answered truthfully but with confidence.

"Why?"

"You're the enemy." She mumbled, trying to keep calm. She grabbed the edge of the counter with both her hands. She could feel his chest against her back, but she refused to turn around and face him.

"So?" He whispered huskily and slammed his hands against the counter, right next to hers, causing her to flinch.

Nurse could feel the weight of his body against hers, but she wouldn't give in. She knew what he was capable and she WAS vulnerable, whether she wanted to be or not. Especially in this situation, there was not much she could do. Scout could have his way with her and nobody would even find out.

"You could kill me if you wanted to." She answered. She was keeping calm. She was supposed to be scared, it would only be natural if she was, but she wasn't anymore. The Red Scout just...didn't seem like much of a threat to her.

"But I don't want to." He said, his voice going back to normal. "I won't hurt you, remember?" He pushed himself away from the counter and backed away from her. "You said it yourself."

Nurse heard the squeaking of his sneakers against the floor as he spun around and sat on the chair. He was beginning to become a problem and if she kept pretending like she didn't care, he'd never go away and Nurse knew he'd drive her mad if he came here everyday and interrupted her work. She quickly shoved all the needles back into the tray and stuffed everything into the drawer.

"Alright, what is it you want?" She asked him, her tone taking a very severe turn. She kept her expression composed and displeased looking.

Scout stood up again and flashed her a perfect boyish grin that caused he immediate downfall of her 'composure'. Her eyebrows quirked upwards and her lips pouted slightly. Compared to the aggressive Red Scout she had witnessed earlier, this one could be considered 'cute'. Nurse had a feeling that the grin was the type of smile that got him everything he ever wanted back home.

"Nothing." He answered.

"What do you mean nothing? Why are you here?"

"To talk."

"I highly doubt that."

"Well, Soldier wants to know more about you, so I guess you could say I'm kind of gathering info."

Her body froze and so did her gaze. The sentence he had just spoken ran along her mind a few times until she finally fully grasped what it meant. Him gathering information was expected. She knew all along that there was a reason for his constant return in her infirmary.

Her fingers began to twitch and like ever other time she has gotten nervous, Nurse needed something to keep her hands busy with.

"S-Soldier?" She stuttered.

"Yeah."

"Your team...they know about me?" She paused to take a deep breath. "You said they didn't believe you."

"Well yeah, at first. Then Spy saw you and he confirmed it and shit."

"Spy?"

"Yeah...hey, you okay?" He took a step forward and extended his arm, but didn't dare touch her.

"How? I haven't even seen your Spy. Ever!"

He chuckled. "You know they can go invisible, right?"

Shit.

She hadn't thought of that! How was she supposed to know if a Spy was watching her or not. Hell, one could be here right now! He saw her. The French rat saw her and now the Red team knew. Were they supposed to? Would Medic get mad?

Nurse suddenly felt extremely uneasy. A few days ago, no one knew about her and she was untouchable. They can't hurt what they don't know exists, but now they can and probably will! She had seen them fight and they weren't the least bit merciful. How could she be so stupid? Carelessly leaving the door open, wandering around unarmed, surely something like this would happen. Now she just felt like she was being watched; like danger was lurking right around the corner.

"FUCK!" She yelled, gritting her teeth together and stomping her foot.

"Whoa! You just swore!"

"Yeah! So?" She yelled, directing the anger she had for herself toward Scout instead.

"Nothin'! Jeez, calm down. I just never heard you swear before, that's all." He paused and stared her down with a broad smile on his lips. "I didn't know you had it in ya'. You're so small and shit, who knew."

He sat back down and all Nurse suddenly wanted to do was punch that kid. Really. Hard.

"You okay?" He asked again.

"No..." She muttered. Nurse looked up and gave him the dirtiest look she could muster. "Is he here now?" She asked sarcastically, rolling her eyes, trying to look as nasty as possible.

"I dunno." Scout said and got up, glancing around. "Spy?" He called into the emptiness. "You here? You better come out or else."

Nurse smirked and snorted. "Or else what?"

"Or else... Nurse will swear again!" He joked and stuck his tongue out playfully.

"I'm sure he's terrified." She said, with sarcasm again, seating herself in the seat Scout had just left vacant again. She was still trying to look pissed off, but she hated to admit that he was really making her feel a little better. Just a little.

Scout laughed at her comment and sat himself down on the armrest.

"Don't worry, he won't do shit." He reassured her...well, he tried to.

"I'm sure." She didn't sound very sure.

"What's your name?" He asked all of a sudden. "That's all I wanna know for today."

"Why the hell should I tell you? What's yours?"

The Bostonian seemed a little puzzled and stared at her as if she was an idiot.

"Scout..." He said and arched an eyebrow, like 'duh'.

Oh...so that's what he meant.

"Everyone just calls me Nurse." She said.

"Nurse... Alright Nurse, well I'm going to have to leave you now." He said and got up, picking up his bat on the way to the door. Had that been there all that time?

At the threshold, he clicked his tongue and smiled.

"See ya' gorgeous." He said and disappeared.

**Blu Scout P.O.V.**

Nobody won today, which sucked since we could have easily, if it weren't for that Red Scout bothering Nurse. She had told me about him and how he would come visit her, but this all seemed way to suspicious to me. Nurse apologized to me during our French lesson and told me the real reason why he was there: information.

Nurse had told me that she could deal with it and she had proved it too. The information she actually gave away was extremely minimal and she reassured me that she didn't plan on saying anything else that might affect the team.

But now, the day was over and everything that happened today was left behind. All I wanted to do was get into my bed, jerk off (because of the Spy incident today) and then go to sleep and hope that tomorrow will magically turn into a day off.

I walked into my room and just flopped, face down, onto my bed. I groaned out loud and snuggled against the covers. I was exhausted, but I had a drop of energy left, enough to do one last deed.

I carefully unzipped my pants, not even bothering to remove the permanent bandages going over my palms and wrists. I was going down under. I slid my fingers underneath the waistband of my boxers and shivered when my cold hand came in contact with –

"Don't even think about it, boy." A voice spoke and almost gave me a heart attack. Without a second thought, I pulled my pants back up and zipped them shut.

For the second time in the last 12 hours, Spy materialized in front of me.

"Holy fuck! You really gotta stop doing that man!" I yelled, but then no other words would come out, even if I tried. The bastard had his mask off and I could see his face right in front of me, a few feet away. My breath got caught in my throat and a million different shivers ran all over my body.

"I believe we need to talk." He stated and got even closer.

His words registered very slowly in my brain since the damn thing was too preoccupied with his face at the moment. God, he was gorgeous and I suddenly found myself remembering why I had fallen for him in the first place. The guy had always drove me crazy and I was in denial about my feelings until the day I saw what lay beneath the mask. He had soft looking brown hair, tousled all over the place in soft waves, along with dark green eyes and a nose that stood out. He was much older than me, but I (and my body) never seemed to mind.

"About?" I asked, trying hard not to blush; the guy had kind of caught me in the act here, I had the right to be kind of embarrassed.

"You weren't injured today." He stated and licked his lips, which made my heart race. "You were perfectly fine, so why did the little girl take you in?"

"I –I wasn't! I hurt my back real bad, so she had to fix it." I struggled to explain, even though it was a lie.

"Fool. You think you can lie to me?" He said, sounding somewhat amused. When I didn't speak and continued to stare at him like the creep I was slowly going to become, he grunted and rolled his eyes. "I followed you inside, idiot." He said, pleased with himself. "I heard everything."

I felt like my whole organism just stopped. It was as if someone was squeezing my heart in their hand from inside my chest and suddenly, there was no air left around me. My mind went crazy, trying to go over, in as much detail as possible, the conversation with Nurse after we went inside. Nothing was said directly, but did he figure it out?

"I must say that I am quite puzzled. I have no idea what you two were speaking of, except that it was about me."

All the color had drained from my face and I saw how truly panicked I looked when I glanced into the mirror on the opposite wall. If he hadn't figured it out by now, I was sure as hell making it obvious at that second.

"How much did you hear?" I asked, trying to bring my voice back to it's obnoxious self, but it just wasn't working.

"Up until that Red Scout appeared." He answered. "Now, make this easier for me and tell me something..." He got closer and closed the distance between us. He stood at the foot of the bed and stared down at me with a devilish frown playing on his face. He smirked sideways and snorted.

"Since the only reason I was on top of you was because I saved you from Demoman's handy work, why were you so nervous? You...'panicked'? You're words Cher, not mine." The bastard spoke with that smug expression of his. He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and stuffed it between his lips.

"I was injured, I was nervous because –"

"Oh please, don't start with that." He said, lighting the death stick. "We both know that is a lie, so how about we cut the crap, oui?"

There was silence. If anyone was going to say anything, it was going to be him because at that moment, I promised myself that I wouldn't speak a word, in order to avoid saying something stupid or worse; give away too much information. Eventually, he got kind of angry and stuffed his cigs back into his pocket.

"When you are ready, you will tell me." He said it like an order. "But I am NOT letting this go, remember that."

He turned his back and marched off to the door, stopping by the doorframe.

"For the record, whatever the hell it was I did, I assure you it was not on purpose." He turned his head one last time to say that, giving me a final glance and his chiselled features.

He shut the door behind him, leaving me the still fresh picture of him in my head and the smell of his strong cologne floating in the room. My heartbeat slowed from 'speed of light' to 'unusually fast', but I couldn't help but remained flustered. Believe it or not, I was still in the state of bewilderment because of his face. It's just that it was such a rare occasion...I just fucking loved his face. I fucking loved HIM. All of him.

While the memory was still clear in my mind and the faint smell of him was still in the air, I crawled under the covers and undid my pants for the second time.

Call me disgusting, but the deed just had to be done.

**A/N: Hello readers. Thank you so much for the reviews and I hope you leave me more for this chapter. It's not much, but its longer than the others and I worked harder on this one. I absolutely love the last part. To be honest, the whole chapter was written just for the last part. XD **

**Please R & R so that Nurse and Scout can get locks for their rooms. =)**


	5. Chapter 5

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 5- Price to pay

By, the Unlucky-Charm

"Training?" She asked, rubbing at her eyes that still refused to remain open.

She had found one of Medic's sticky notes on her door earlier in the morning, telling her to get ready for training. She didn't really understand what that was supposed to mean, seeing as she was qualified enough to be a doctor, so why would she have to learn basic stuff like CPR and such?

"Yes, training." Medic said, clasping his hands together in total delight. "I'm happy you wore your track pants today, but I'll be taking your white coat."

"Why?"

"Oh, don't be silly. You can't run in that, now can you? Go put on those boots." He slipped off her doctor's jacket and pointed to the corner of the room where a small pair of army boots stood next to several other pairs of much larger ones.

"I- I don't understand." Now would have been the perfect moment to inform him that she had failed gym several times in high school, but she didn't because of the large number of people moving around in the room.

"Why are you so confused, child? Today is a training day."

"But what does that have to do with me?" Nurse was in a state of panic. This was starting to sound more and more like P.E. class to her, only worse. Instead of having to sweat in front of other girls, she would be working out with a bunch of fit, intimidating men.

"Spy has informed me of your will to participate outside of the base, even after I told you not to step out. I WAS going to punish you, but Spy gave me this idea instead. This way, I'll be comfortable with you working out in the field. Everybody wins!" The Doctor did not speak with malice, but with a lot of excitement.

In the corner of the room, Nurse saw the Spy smoking a cigarette. He was staring at her, with a smirk on his face. When their eyes met, he dropped the cigarette and teasingly waved at her. God, if Scout wasn't in love with the guy, she would have drugged him by now. This was all his fucking fault. He's the one who fell on Scout, he's the one who gave him that hard on and now it's all because of him that Nurse has to relive her high school nightmares.

Nurse grabbed the Medic's forearms and pulled him close, so nobody else could hear.

"I am SO sorry, doctor. I really, really am. So, please, don't make me do this. Anything but this." She begged so desperately, that she was even more surprised at herself than the Medic was.

"I'm sorry, child. I think this is best for you." He said, condescendingly.

And with that he was gone.

Nurse stood there, lost, confused and very, very annoyed. She felt very exposed without her white coat. Her pants were loose enough and the boots she was supposed to wear were anything but feminine. Unfortunately, she had chosen the wrong day to wear a tank top. The tank wasn't tight, but it still reveals a good amount of skin. Nurse wondered if she could make a dash for it and change, but somebody had taken hold of her arm.

"Come on, you're with me." Engineer said and dragged her all the way out of the base and out into the open. They were the first ones out and the whole place looked like a ghost town.

"Isn't the other team training too?"

"Yeah, but we don't mingle with them much. Don't worry, they won't see you." He took her all the way behind the building where a small shack-like structure was barely holding up.

"I don't understand. Aren't we gonna run and stuff?" She asked, as Engineer pulled open the shabby door to the cabin.

Inside, was the wonderland of spare parts, a mechanics heaven. The guy was ecstatic, Nurse could tell, but she didn't really get why.

"Yeah, I suppose you are, with Scout. With me, we're gonna build stuff." He said, rummaging through a box of metal thing. Yes, 'metal things', Nurse doesn't really know much about tools and materials.

"Wait, what do you mean with Scout. Look, all I know is that we're supposed to be training."

"Yup. You're with me first, then with Sniper if I'm not mistaken. We're taking turns."

Nurse froze and blinked at him. Was she really going to learn every single thing these people did? Engineer she could handle, Sniper and Scout, sure. But what the hell was she supposed to do with Spy? Try not to get killed? She could only imagine what Heavy would be like with his gigantic...

"You know what this is?" He said all of a sudden, waving a wrench in her face.

"A wrench?"

"Yup. This is my best friend and today, he will be yours too." He said and handed her the wrench. Nurse held it awkwardly, shaking it around and making rattling noises. She did not like the wrench and she was sure the wrench wasn't going to like her either. So much for being friends.

"I'm not too good with things like this." She warned him. "I can nail some paintings to a wall, but that's about it."

"That's alright." He laughed. "You're just here so we can tire you out. You need some muscle, you know. It's dangerous out here."

'So it IS a punishment!' Nurse thought. 'I'm not here to learn, I'm here to work my ass off.' Which was all the worse since this was becoming EXACTLY like gym class. And judging by the physical work all of these guys so COMBINED, it was going to be a million times worse.

A screeching metallic noise came from the shack. Engie was pulling out a rusty and worn out looking sentry out onto the dusty ground. He unscrewed certain parts of it with ease and grinned.

"See that?" He said, pointing into the inside of the machine. "I want you to tighten all of those, each one."

Nurse did not like the smile on Engineer's face. Without any other instruction, he turned around and began occupying himself with something else. He wasn't making much noise and Nurse watched him a little before getting to work. When Engineer didn't budge, she hesitantly walked up to the sentry. Inside were a few screw like things. She assumed those were the parts she has to tighten. Nurse pushed aside her hair to one side, adjusted the wrench to the right size and twisted. The screw did not budge, not even a bit. She tried again, pulling harder and harder, first with one hand, then with both.

"Um...Engineer?" She said right after a deep breath. She was stressing out a little and Engineer practically laughing at her did not help at all. "These are already tightened."

"Oh yeah?" He said sarcastically, standing up. The self satisfied look on is face made Nurse feel like she had walked straight into his trap.

Engineer took the wrench from her and with one swift pull, the sound of screeching metal was heard.

"Heh- heh, it's pretty tough. Wanna try again?" He asked.

Nurse watched Engineer's giant, clenched biceps. She feared his bulging veins would burst at any second. If Engineer wasn't middle aged and married with kids, Nurse would totally crush on him. She took the wrench back reluctantly and stared at the sentry.

"This is supposed to hurt right?" She asked, rubbing at her arm.

"It'll be working your arms, so I guess so." He laughed and patted her on the back. "Feel the burn right?"

"Right..."

She grasped the tool and went right back in there.

**Red Scout P.O.V.**

Training days have always been real chill for me. I would just be out there doing my thing, everyone would just be doing their thing, actually. Sometimes, if Medic was in a good mood, he'd let Sniper shoot at me so I can practice avoiding bullets, but that didn't happen often. Medic's answer was yes only when he had some extra juice in his Medi-gun, just in case I screwed up and got shot.

But today, I was content with just laps. I usually ran around our base or hopped around on the roofs, but that last one was the Blu scouts specialty and I didn't feel like running into him. The last time I saw him, it hadn't been pretty. He was damn protective of the girl and I still didn't buy it, you know, that they weren't dating. Even if they weren't, the guy was totally into her and that's probably the main thing that pushed me to run a little further today. Instead of one base, I prolonged my route to around both of the bases. It wasn't really a rule not to, more like it was frowned upon. And frankly, I didn't really give a shit about who was frowning upon what.

This has nothing to do with her. I don't care if she sees me or not and I don't care if this gets on the other Scout's nerves. It's my job right? Soldier assigned this mission to me and now I have to do it. And that's the only reason why I am going out of my way and risking my life to check on her. Well I'm not really checking on her, that's like making sure she's alright. I can't say spying either because she'll probably see me. Whatever. Call it what you want, I don't give a fuck. It's work.

I decided not to get my hopes high because there was always a chance that she hadn't left the base. She was a nurse. If she had to train wouldn't it be inside? That's what I was thinking until my jog was cut short. It was when I turned the corner of the Blu base that I came to a halt, raising a whole bunch of dust in front of me.

A loud clinking noise was echoing a bit farther away, where I could see their Engie reading some blueprints and another person hitting a sentry with a metal object. When the dust died out, I recognized her.

"Screw. You. Stupid. Machine." She chanted in between hits.

"Don't hit it like that, it won't budge." He told her. "Try again."

"Ugh. I can't feel my arms." She complained but set the wrench back in place anyway.

I wasn't sure how to react to this. There she was with her tight ass tank top and tiny clenched biceps. She was trying to screw in something, but I couldn't see what. For the first time, she had her hair up in a ponytail and she was sweating like fuck. Well, so was I but that was only because I had run under the sun. Question was, why the hell was Nurse working for Engineer? She didn't look like she was enjoying it all that much though.

A loud screeching noise came from the sentry.

"YES!" She yelled. "I did it!"

Startled by the sudden loud sounds, I hid behind the building to listen in.

"Yeah, ya sure did." He inspected her work and nodded in approval. "You can leave now."

**Nurse**

She didn't want to seem more lost than she already was and she knew she was with Sniper next, so without another word, she left off with sore arms. Nurse was not liking this. She was not liking it one bit and this was only the beginning. Next was Sniper and God knows what he'd have her do. Of course, she had to find him first.

"Yo, what's up?"

"AGH!"

She had turned the corner of the building, but she hadn't seen him leaning against the wall. The Red Scout had his bat dangling in his hand and a cocky smirk playing on his lips.

"Scare ya'?" He asked.

"No..." She lied.

She stared at the ground for a while and when neither of them said anything, she started to march off.

"Hey! Where ya' going?"

"Aren't you supposed to be training?"

"Yeah...whatever. It's just running. Question is, why are YOU training?" He asked, sticking his bat in her way to stop her.

"Medic's idea." She said, pushing the bat away. "Do you know where Sniper...um, hangs around?"

"'Course I do. He's in his tower thing, you're gonna have to climb up."

Scout pointed in a certain direction where Nurse could see the hint of tower like construction hiding behind the rooftops of the other buildings. She thanked him and ran off before he started asking her any more questions. Nurse had a feeling that she was breaking some kind of rule every time she spoke to him.

Sniper had been fairly nice to her. He let her use his gun, take a few shots, practice her aim. He even offered her some coffee. The pee was unpleasant, though, she still didn't get the point of it. After Sniper came Soldier, Heavy (he carried her on his gun) and Demoman. The later informed her that Pyro would not be seeing her since his work is much too dangerous. Nurse doubted that was the reason.

She had been avoiding thinking about it all day, but now that the time had come she had no other choice. It was terrifying, really. She was told to go look for him in the base and it didn't take a long time to find him either. He was in one of the rooms she hadn't entered yet. The door was left wide open and that's how she saw him. He had his knife out and was wearing his mask, his usual dress pants and nothing but a wife beater on top. His chest and arms were glistening with sweat and his fingers were moving with such agility that it left her speechless. But, she didn't have to say anything for him to notice her.

"Come in." He said, without even losing concentration on his knife. "We have things to discuss."

Nurse stepped in reluctantly, taking each step carefully and avoiding all eye contact. She had barely taken 3 steps when all of a sudden, she was pushed up against the wall and kept there by two strong arms pressing down on her shoulders. Her back ached from the impact, but her attention was currently on the Spy who was staring straight at her, his face only inches away from hers. His fiery eyes looked like they could see right through her and his jaw was set and his hold on her so tight, that Nurse was almost sure he wasn't going to let her go.

"Tell me everything you know." He hissed.

She wrinkled her nose in disgust when his breath hit her face. It smelled disgusting, like liquor and cigarettes...a LOT of cigarettes.

Instead of being scared (even though she really was), Nurse decided to compose herself. First, she had to figure out if he meant 'everything you know' in the literal sense, because if that were case, it would take a while. It would be more logical to assume that he was after information. In that case, she wasn't telling shit.

"No." She responded sternly.

"Non?" He smirked, reaching into his pocket. "We'll see about that."

Spy pulled out his butterfly knife, as expected, and began twirling it around in one of his hands. Nurse watched intently until the blade moved down to her throat. The metal was cold against her skin and she didn't dare move an inch.

"How about now?" He asked her.

"No." She repeated, sounding less sure of herself this time. "Please let go."

"Are you sure?" He purred.

Nurse gasped when she felt his hand on her hip, making its way up to her waist. A shiver traveled up and town her spine, but it wasn't a pleasant one. She wanted nothing more than to get this man off of her.

"Yes. Please get off."

"Non." He spat into her face, causing her to flinch away. "Not until you tell me everything I need to know."

"No. I will not." She said stubbornly.

Building up all the courage she had, she pushed the knife away and with her other hand, grabbed his arm that had remained rested on her waist. She attempted a technique, but failed miserably since all Spy had to do was just push her up against the wall again. He brought his face up to hers and then paused. She couldn't make the eye contact and the smell of cigarettes hit her hard. She flinched away and coughed.

"Nice try." He whispered huskily into her ear. When he didn't get a response, he sighed and pressed his head against hers. "You pass."

When the words were finally processed, Nurse was able to reopen her eyes. The Frenchman had pulled away and was lighting yet another cancer stick.

"What..."

"It was a test...you did well enough." He took another drag. "You need to practice that move, though."

"Y-yes sir."

She was glad that she did well, but Nurse still felt like she was missing something. The anger in his eyes had seemed so...real. Way too real for him to have been acting. He had even went as far as holding a knife to her throat, wasn't that going too far for a test? Watching him now, he had a satisfied look on his face, a certain air of arrogance reflecting on his expression. She didn't ask any questions, but her pride in her 'performance' slowly dissipated into uncertainty and the feeling that she had done something very wrong.

**Nurse**

They stood in front of each other, about a meter distance between us. Scout was scratching the back of his head and refusing to make eye contact with her. He kept biting down on his lower lip and blushing for no reason.

"You'll tell me tonight." She reassured him.

Something had happened to him, which meant they had some information to share, but Nurse wasn't taking the chance of doing it now with that other Scout following her around. Yes, that's probably something she should tell him about too, other than the Spy incident. She had a feeling his news concerned that last individual as well; it explained all the random blushing. Whatever happened must have been embarrassing.

"Okay." He understood and then added, "You look tired."

With that out of the way, the atmosphere became much more comfortable.

"Yeah, kind of moved around a lot today. More than ever, actually..." She sighed.

There was a moment of silence during which Scout was snickering.

"Fatty." Scout laughed and poked her stomach with the end of his bat.

"Shut up." She said, and grabbed the bat. She pulled hard and Scout, caught off guard, stumbled forward. She then quickly let go and grabbed his forearm instead, twisting it around and pushing it against his back; such as a cop arresting a felon.

"Whoa." He chuckled.

"You let me do that, didn't you?" Nurse let go.

"Yup. Wanted to see what the hell you were gonna do." He smile apologetically and rubbed at his slightly reddened skin. "Who taught you that?"

"Soldier. He said a pretty young lady like me has got to protect herself." She explained. "Well, he yelled more than said, but it was still nice of him."

"Ha! Sounds like him. You're gonna hav'ta work those arms. You barely used any force there."

"Yeah, I know. I had to try it on Spy earlier...almost got cut. It was the most embarrassing thing ever."

Scout laughed at her, pointing his finger and everything, but it didn't last long. He stopped dead and frowned, as the true meaning slowly dawned on him.

"He...let you practice on him right?" He asked, with a very hopeful tone.

"Not exactly..."She muttered.

That's all that needed to be said for Scout to get the idea he didn't quite like. He eyed her from head to toe and then stared straight at her. Scout looked torn and maybe even a little disappointed. Nurse opened her mouth to say something, but then realised that she didn't have much to say. She didn't want to turn Scout against the guy he was crushing on, but that same guy kind of...well; he wasn't the nicest of people. Nurse hoped there was something behind the Frenchman's actions, something that would give his behaviour an explanation. She was almost certain that Scout and she would be able to laugh about this later on, but until the evening came, they would be left in the dark.

"Tonight." He nodded.

Nurse ended the day with sore joints, bruises on her back and just the general _pain._ Scout had even made her run as a final exercise and now her legs were as numb as her arms. She felt damp in every corner of her body and didn't even dare smell herself. When she walked into the base with the rest of the team, they were all staring at her with amused looks on their faces, like they hadn't seen an exhausted, sweaty, dirt covered girl before. That didn't last long though, since Nurse made a dash for her own personal shower as the other's went to their own shared one. Once again, it was like gym: the boy's hit their showers and the girls theirs, only she was alone this time.

Nurse took her sweet time under the steamy , warm water. She soaked for what seemed like hours and hours, when it was barely thirty minutes, but every second was well deserved. She stepped out, smelling like flowers and fruit, wrapped a fluffy towel around herself and went straight to her room. Still snuggled in the towel, she fell back on her bed, running her bare feet over the cool sheets. She did this on purpose, knowing it was one of the best feelings in the world. Nurse lay there for a while. She let her eyes fall shut and struggled not to fall asleep, although she really wanted to. The only thing stopping her was the constant rumbling reminder of how empty her stomach was. It was the need to eat that gave her that last boost of energy to getup and get dressed.

No specific dress code was requested of her his time, so she stuck her arm into her still unpacked suitcase and pulled out a pair of light blue jeans and a long sleeved, navy sweater. By coincidence, both articles were of a certain shade of blue, so it still somewhat counted as uniform, right? Nurse let her hair dry naturally so that her curls would remain tame and not frizz because of the blow dryer or the comb. When she was ready, and presentable, she went downstairs to the cafeteria, where she suspected everybody to be.

She was right. Most of those eyes turned to her too when she walked in and smiled. Sniper winked at her, which would have usually made her blush, but before she had time to react, Scout was already by her side, pulling her to a table further away from the rest.

"Spy took his food upstairs." He said, looking very agitated.

"So...?"

"We can talk in peace without him hearing us!"

"Um, right..." Nurse answered, mostly paying attention to the tray of food on the table than anything else at the moment.

As she wolfed down every single edible thing on that tray, Scout told her about everything that happened to him last night. He was going very slowly at first, mentioning every single useless detail, leaving Nurse very anxious for him to get to the point. She was about to lose interest when Scout leaned in and whispered the important part into her ear.

Her food got caught in her throat instantly. He should have known better than to tell her while she was swallowing.

"He SAW you?" She hissed, leaning over the table.

Scout blushed and looked away. Clearly, he did not feel comfortable when the subject was confronted so directly.

"Yeah, he had gone invisible, but that's not the point –"

"What the hell do you mean that's not the point! He..." She stopped and looked around, then leaned in even closer. "He caught you jerking off." She whispered.

"Yeah, I know it sounds bad, but there's worse." He said. "Nurse, I think he overheard us in your office, talking about him. But I don't think he's figured it out yet. From what he told me, he knows we were talking about him and he knows that it involves me."

Nurse's whole body froze up gradually with every word Scout spoke. The images and dialogues of her encounter with Spy were flashing by in her mind and they made a tad more sense now. The arrogance, the satisfied air, that one, tiny point she felt like she was missing...they all added up into this vague idea of what Spy was up to.

If her newly made speculations were correct, Spy wasn't testing her at all. The knife to her throat, the touching, the close proximity were all on purpose so that she would spill her guts. Now, for a second, Nurse was proud of herself for having stood her ground, but she soon realised she had done much worse...

"Shit, Scout. We are SO dead." She whimpered, biting down on her fork.

Nurse pouted and frowned slightly, looking extremely worried and apologetic all at the same time. Scout's eyes were wide, intently awaiting the bad news that Nurse was going to add to his own.

"Scout... I didn't technically _deny _knowing any information." She said, flinching at her own words.

"What do you mean?"

"I...He asked me for the information."

"And you...?"

"I told him I wouldn't tell."

Scout did not reply instantly, but retreated back into his seat. The young man bit down on his lip and tapped his index finger on the surface of the table. He seemed to be in thought, so Nurse waited patiently for him to figure out whatever it was he was trying to figure out.

"So...he knows something is up." He said.

"Yes."

"Because..."

"I confirmed his assumptions by indirectly admitting that the information he believed we were keeping from him truly exists." She sounded so overly professional that she would be giggling if she didn't want to kick herself at the moment.

"Right..." He didn't seem very convinced. "Basically you said 'no' when he asked instead of acting clueless."

"Yes. In my defence, he was holding a knife to my throat."

"Jeez..."

Another moment of silence, which ended up being interrupted by Scout abruptly standing up. He jerked his head to side, motioning her to follow him upstairs. As they walked threw the cafeteria, a lot of peculiar gazes followed them. Nurse knew it was only normal for them to think certain things when seeing the two heading upstairs together, but she really wished they wouldn't. So on top of the Red Scout who thought there was something going on between them, Nurse feared the rest of the team would begin to think that as well. Little do they know, to what extent they are wrong. There is a very obvious reason why the two wouldn't be a right match, but so far, Nurse was the only one who knew this secret reason.

"Sometimes, I just want to yell out I'm gay." Scout smiled, as if he had read her mind.

Nurse smiled back uneasily, unsure on how to react to that statement.

"I have a feeling you have something else to tell me."

"Yeah." She nodded.

They made it to her room, where her precious bed sat, which she was longing to snuggle into. The sheets were always so warm and soft. They even smelled nice. Nurse went for it the second they stepped foot into the bedroom, just in case Scout took that spot before she did. Instead, he lay on the floor, his head settled on an extra pillow that had fallen off the bed when Nurse was making herself comfortable.

"Quick French lesson, how about it?" He said. "But first, tell me what's the matter. And don't tell me nothin', 'cause I saw you glancing behind you every five seconds when we were coming up here."

Even if she had been doing so, Nurse hadn't noticed. It was in her nature to be paranoid, she knew that, so it was only normal for her to be a little uneasy knowing that the enemy Scout was told to follow her around. She hadn't really taken it seriously at first, but the boy was very insistent and proved to do his job well by not leaving her alone and surprising her.

"It's that Red Scout... he's following me." She said, in a very airy tone. She made it sound like a very light topic, as if some random guy wasn't stalking her like his prey.

"I'll kill him." He growled.

"No, no, he's not causing any harm. I just wish he would stop. Now I feel like I'm always being watched."

"We are."

"That's not making me feel better."

"Sorry."

Scout rocked himself forward and sat up. He had the pillow in his lap, squeezing it tight against his chest, in the style of a 12 year old girl who was about to confess. He titled his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at her. He stared at her quizzically and smiled when she frowned at him.

"He seems to be very dedicated to this new 'job' of his, isn't he?" He said, very suggestively.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She asked, even though she knew damn well what he meant and where this conversation was heading.

"Think about it. He was assigned the job to follow around possibly the only girl he'll ever get to see any time soon. He doesn't see this as a chore."

"Scout. He's Red, I'm Blu. He's the enemy."

"Exactly! You're proving my point!" He said, standing up and sitting down on the bed, at her feet.

"How am I proving your point! Nothing can happen between us, because he's the enemy."

"So, you WANT there to be something –"

"No! I'm just saying that IF he has intentions, they can never happen because we are on opposing teams." She said and blinked at him. Nurse could not see what was so complicated about what she was trying to explain.

There was a pause where Scout's expression fell and he looked at her as if she was the biggest fool he had ever met. He shook his head and chuckled like he couldn't believe what she had just said.

"You don't real romance novels much do ya'?"

"I read Harry Potter..."

"That's not romance!" He said, waving his arms around in the air. "This is a classic romance story. Two people from opposing clans, somehow connected to each other, they fight at first and then they start getting close. He had feelings for her but she's in denial and...you're not getting ANY of this, are you." He had wandered off into what clearly was some kind of weird fantasy of his and stopped dead when he realised how uninterested Nurse really was.

Of course, she understood what he was talking about. After all, she was a girl and thought of those things too, but it was all fictional. She refused to wait for something so foolish and then be disappointed when it never happened.

"I am. But I don't think anything of the sort will happen."

"It's forbidden love!"

"And what's so great about that?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that it's FORBIDDEN!" He said sarcastically. "It's in the dude's nature to go after things he can't have. The idea that you're off limits attracts him even more." He explained. "I'm like that too."

"Is that why you're so into Spy?" She changed the subject.

Taken aback, Scout jerked his head back. Shocked at how randomly she trapped him in a corner, he stumbled for words and an answer.

"I...um, I guess..." He bobbed his head from left to right and grimaced, unsure of his answer. "It's more 'cause he's mysterious, ya' know? How quiet he is, how he wears his mask and how he knows certain things that only God knows how he found out. I like that. It's like -I don't even know how to explain it- I want to know more about him." Scout spoke nervously, his hands busying themselves with anything they could find. He played with the hem of his shirt, he scratched the back of his head, he bit down on his finger and untied and tied his shoelaces over and over again. But most importantly, he would not make eye contact. He would blush and then, with time, the color would slowly die down, only to reappear moments later when he mentioned Spy again.

"That's so sweet." She said, the girlish part of her taking over and making her swoon.

"Yeah, yeah I know, I'm an adorable mothafucker." He rolled his eyes, not even trying to be the least bit modest.

"Wow, you must really like him, seeing as you have these strong feelings about him even though you haven't seen his face." She paused. "I mean, what if he's ugly?"

"He's... not." Scout mumbled and looked away again, showing a sudden interest in the wooden floor. "I've seen him without it...a few times."

Nurse gasped and let her mouth hang open. "Really? What's he like? Is his nose as big as it seems with the mask on? What color is his hair?"

Scout paused and smiled- no, he downright stretched out a full-toothed grin. "He's fucking gorgeous." He laughed, still not meeting her gaze. "Probably why I fucked up so bad last night."

Even though Scout was beating himself up for what happened last night, he kept the smile on. Nurse knew what he was thinking of, more like _who_ he was thinking of and wished she could read minds. She too would have liked to get a glimpse of what lies behind that mask, but her curiosity was nothing compared to what Scout felt for that same face.

"Is he really that hot?" She asked, arching a brow.

"Well, maybe you won't think so, but I seriously do. I think he's just... I like his face, a lot." He chuckled at his own ridiculousness, and began drawing circled on the sheets with his finger. Scout was officially lost in his Spy Lalaland. The kid had it bad.

"Is it because you _loooooooove _him?" She teased, leaning in towards Scout who still wouldn't look up.

"Probab –Hey! Shut up!" He shouted, finally snapping out of his haze.

"Heh- heh, that's what you get for making up a love story between me and the enemy." She stuck her tongue out.

"Oh please, you wear that short skirt one more time and that's all it'll take to have that guy propose to you." He said, waving away her previous comment with a flip of his wrist.

"My ass!"

"Yeah, I think that's why he likes you so much too." He spat at her, with a devious twitch of his lips.

"Oh. My God. You are SO dead right now." She said, getting up to her feet.

Scout did not even budge and watched her calmly. He was not scared of her and there was no reason for him to be either. Harmless in an overstatement if you want to describe Nurse. She seriously, cannot do SHIT to physically hurt someone.

"Whatch'a gonna do, huh?" He taunted her.

In response, she just smiled. She was also asking herself that question, who's answer she also knew was 'nothing'. She shrugged and attacked him. He fell back onto the bed with her arms hooked around his neck. He hugged her back, despite how confused he really was.

"I can't do shit and you know it." She spoke into the crook of his neck.

"Yeah, I know. You're stupid too since you tried to go against Spy , knowing how little you can do." He said, sitting up.

She removed her arms and smiled.

"Oh so, what? You're on his side now 'cause you're so in love with him?"

"No way. The guy's still a jackass." He said. "Now, let's get on with that French lesson. What will you teach me today, Mademoiselle Nurse."

She giggled and pursed her lips as she tried to think of a sentence.

"Je suis un perverti parce que je me branle en pensant du visage de Spy. "

Scout tried to repeat what she said, but didn't seem too sure while doing it.

"I heard the words 'pervert' and 'Spy' in that sentence, so what the fuck did you just make me say?"

She grinned. "I'm a pervert because I jack off to Spy's face."

"Bitch." He hissed was the one to pounce on her this time.

Not much French was learned that night.

**A/N. And voila! The 5****th**** chapter. I'm sorry if it took a while, but it's done. I really have no idea about the next chapter, but I was thinking of incorporating the rest of the team a little more. Heavy needs more love! I'm also thinking of using Spy's point of view every now and then. Let me know what you think I love them reviews!**


	6. Chapter 6

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 6- Taken

By, the Unlucky-Charm

**VERY IMPORTANT A/N: Okay, wow is all I have to say about the reviews I got last time. I want to say thank you for constructive criticism which I did my best to take into consideration and also for all the nice things you guys had to say about the story. I also want to add something about the suggestions I got: You people read my mind! I already know how the story is going to go and I'm kind of surprised that you guys kind of have an idea of it too. I guess we think alike...sort of **

**P.S. This chapter is kind of complicated, so...yeah.**

**Blu Medic**

He had woken up early again, even though it was a day off and going back to sleep had failed, as usual. He lay in his bed for a while, staring at the ceiling blankly and sometimes tossing and turning in his sheets. When he decided that there was no way he was going to sleep OR even get to be comfortable in his own bed, he thought it best to get up and at least get dressed. He put on his favourite vest and is blue tie, but saw no point in wearing his doctor's jacket on a day off. He brushed his teeth, his hair and debated on whether or not he should shave. He ended up leaving the stubble alone.

As he was leaving his room, he was startled to see the Spy leaning on the opposite wall across his bedroom, smoking a cigarette. The man blew out some smoke and glanced at his watch.

"About time." He said. "Follow me."

The man in the blue suit walked down the hallway, not even checking to see if Medic was behind him or not. The doctor locked the door and jogged to catch up with him. The Spy led the way to the cafeteria, not speaking a single word or even turning back at any point in time. Only then did Medic realise how vacant and quiet the base was. They did not cross paths with anyone and no human uttered noise could be heard either. Medic figured everyone was wherever Spy was taking him to.

They entered the cafeteria a few seconds later and despite the fact that everyone was there, nobody was speaking; maintaining the silence that was present in the hallways. Everybody was looking at him, all 8 of his teammates...He counted again; there were still only 8 of them and he knew exactly who was missing.

"We have a problem." Soldier began, going straight to the point. "And you need to do something about it."

"What's going on?" He asked, looking at his other, more sane teammates for answers.

"It's the girl, mate. She can't stay here." The Sniper said gravely.

This was about Nurse?

"Why not?"

"Listen 'ere, Doctor." The Demoman stood up. "You and I both know that if you let her out there, she's goin' t'be in the way!"

"Wha –"

"Train her all ya' want, the lass can't handle what we do. And she never will!" The Scotsman smashed his hand against the table closest to him.

"You are going to get her killed." Spy said.

"But –"

"But what?" The Soldier yelled. "If you think any of us is going to bother protecting her out there, then you're out of your mind! We can't risk our lives for someone who can't even defend herself properly! We will lose men, for nothing!"

"Little Nurse is going to get hurt."

Medic's gaze glided around the room. They all seemed quite angry or pissed off, except for the Scout. The young man was quietly sitting at the end of one of the tables, fiddling with his bandages and avoiding eye contact with anybody else. It was obvious he disagreed, but he knew they were right and so did Medic.

"We're not fuckin' babysitters." The Sniper said and crossed his arms over his chest.

The room went silent after that, as everybody waited for Medic's response. The only people who hadn't commented were Scout, Engineer and Pyro, but the later never said anything in the first place and everyone knew how close Scout and Nurse were getting, so it was only natural for the Bostonian not to be participating in the conversation. Engineer was his last chance.

"What about yesterday's training..." He said, addressing the Texan.

"Not enough." He sighed. "Kind of like take- your- daughter- to- work day."

Doctor threw a few more glances around the room and when he saw that everything had been said he took a deep breath.

"Very well." He said, trying to be as professional as possible. "I'll speak to her."

With his hands behind his back, he swirled around and made a swift exit out of the cafeteria. From behind, he could still hear Soldier's loud voice fading as he walked away.

"I think he should just do her a favour and fire her." He said. "He'll be saving her life!"

For the first time in his life, Medic was completely torn. On the one hand he knew that his team came first, but on the other he knew how helpful Nurse could be when it came to his own work. Sure, she might not be a freakin' warrior woman, but she could seal a wound shut and that was good enough for him. Unfortunately, it seemed that his teammates did not share that opinion. Medic wasn't even sure if they were looking out for her or themselves. Soldier said he'd be doing Nurse a favour by firing her, but no harm had been done to her so far...Maybe he should just talk to her, threaten to fire her if she steps outside again...

As much as Medic tried to convince himself that she would be okay, he knew, just like the rest of his team, that Nurse would never be safe. It would take a Spy less than 30 seconds to find and kill her. A Sniper could easily figure out which one her window is and shoot at her (although the glass is bulletproof). A Demoman could blow her up, a Heavy could crush her, hell, anything could happen! And she could do absolutely nothing to defend herself.

Medic knew all of this and the more he began to accept it, the more he realised how big a mistake he had made. You can't just pick out a random grad student and expect her to adapt or magically develop fighting skills! But that's what he did. He picked out one of the best student and offered her a job; a job who's description he thoroughly lied about.

His heart was heavy with the bad news he was about to break to her and he was also conscious of how brutal he had to be in order to remain professional. However, this heaviness in his heart was quickly lifted when he saw the open door of the infirmary hanging open. No, literally _hanging _open, on only one of it's hinges!

Slowly and cautiously, he stepped in and saw nothing broken or destroyed. The room was how he remembered it except for the connecting door leading to her bedroom, which had undergone the same treatment as the previous door. This time, Medic rushed in without a second thought and went straight to the empty bed. The covers were thrown aside, but there was not sign of any struggle. However, a faint odour was lingering in air close to the bed. Very sweet and all too familiar to the doctor.

**Nurse**

The very first thing Nurse did when she opened her eyes was close them immediately. It only took a half second look for her to know that the world around her was spinning and that she felt extremely nauseated. She was lying on her side on the cold damp ground of a place she didn't know. She tried moving her limbs and they were fine, except for her left leg which had simply fallen asleep. Other than that and her dizziness, Nurse felt completely normal.

She tried opening her eyes again, but wished she hadn't when she finally faced her surroundings. A wave of panic hit when she found herself in a very dark room, with a concrete floor and concrete walls as well. The only source of light was coming from a light bulb, dangling from the ceiling and maybe from the tiny window high up in a corner. There was a metal door straight in front of her and she didn't have to check the handle to know that it was locked shut. Nurse tried to stand up, but that only lasted two seconds, after which she stumbled onto her knees and decided that _sitting_ would be the best solution.

Nurse scooted backwards and squashed herself into a corner. She tucked her knees close to her chest and leaned her head on the bumpy wall. 'I have to think' she told herself, but her body figured that crying would be a better option. So, Nurse sobbed. There was no point denying where she was and there was no point in trying to find an explanation.

She was kidnapped and was being held prisoner, or something of the sort. Like the panic, this reality hit her even harder. She was in a cell and she couldn't get out. She looked around her once more, desperately trying to figure something out, but her brain just wasn't working at the moment. The door would be impossible to break down, the window is too small to fit through even if she managed to break the glass, there was no trap door...Nothing could work.

Another dry sob hitched up her throat and a few more tears ran down her face before the most important question came to her. The number one question of the FAQ for prisoners: How the hell did she get here?

She did not know.

She did not know anything. She was clueless in this room with no escape. She had nothing but the clothes she had ended up falling asleep with, she didn't even have her shoes on.

She tried to remember the last thing she was doing before going to sleep, but Scout's face was the only thing that came up. And surely, Scout was NOT the one who had trapped her in here. However, the other Scout...

Yes! she thought, that made more sense! That was the plain, logical explanation of her location: the Red base. The Red team was holding her prisoner, but for what? Ransom? She doubted it...She even doubted her team coming to save her. It saddened her a bit, to think that, but it was most likely the truth. She was all alone with nobody coming to get her out and she would probably be killed or tortured. They wouldn't just leave her in here. Somebody would surely come to at least see if she was still there, but until then, she needed a plan.

Nurse hauled herself up and then realised she was crying again. Why the hell are you crying? She asked herself. Is it because nobody cares enough to come get you? Is it because you KNOW damn well that they are not going to risk their lives for you? Or is it because you think you're going to die here? Even if you are, they can just hire a new nurse. A better one, even... One that can fucking defend herself. One that can get herself out of a fucking cell when she gets kidnapped by the opposing team for NO FUCKING REASON!

She realised she had begun yelling out her thoughts and the echoes of her voice were bouncing off the walls. She hoped nobody heard. She wasn't ready to face those bastards yet.

She began walking laps around the room because pacing always got her thinking straighter. She glanced at the window again and again and again, but no matter how many times she looked, its size and the impossibility of her fitting through it did not change. Then, her gaze went to the light bulb. It wasn't hanging that high up. If she got good momentum, she could easily reach it and pull it down. She wasn't sure if the electrocution would be strong enough to kill her, but she could always break the glass and slit her wrists...

It was funny how suicide was her first option at this point, rather than getting out. Maybe it was because her escape was so impossible, she didn't even bother thinking about it, but she promised herself a plan and if she never got one, she would die trying.

She continued to pace for what felt like an hour or so. During that time, the sun rose higher and higher into the sky, pouring in some more light into her very morbid looking cell. Nurse grew hungrier and hungrier and longed for at least a glass of water. Her throat had gone dry from mumbling to herself, her eyes stung because of the tears that wouldn't stop falling, her lips were chapped from dehydration and her nose was runny.

She wiped the snot away with her sleeve and hissed at the sudden burning sensation. She brought her fingers up to her face and ran her index over the skin underneath her nose. It was raw, irritated and stung like a bitch whenever she touched it.

"Chloroform." She whispered to herself.

That was the only explanation. She assumed the area was reddened as well, seeing as they had probably used a cloth soaked in the substance to knock her out.

Knock her out...

But she was already asleep. They must have used it just in case.

After that discovery, another long period of time passed with Nurse starting to really consider bringing down that light bulb. She cried again, a few times actually, and kicked herself (sometimes literally) for being so pathetic. She wasn't supposed to even be here! She belonged in a hospital, with cancer patients and people who broke some bones falling down stairs, not people who broke their bones in the process of almost being blown to bits! Why the hell did Medic pick her? Was it at random? How could he make such an important decision at random?

Suddenly, Nurse hated everybody. Everybody, in both teams. They could all go ahead and die for all she cared. In fact, they deserved to die! No wonder they were brought out here in the middle on nowhere! You cant have cold hearted, blood thirsty maniacs roaming the streets in society! And that's what was frustrating her the most at the moment. SHE WASN'T ONE OF THEM! She was SANE! She had a fucking future, unlike these nut-jobs! And now, it was all ruined. It was ruined because she was going to die here, slowly, and painfully. But she'd be damned if she weren't going down without a fight!

The tears had started to roll down her face again, but she didn't wipe them away this time. What was the point? What was the point of anything now? What was the point of waiting if she knew what the outcome was going to be? Might as well get it over with now. The facts were obvious: she was trapped, nobody was coming, she was going to die and the least she could do at this point was interrupt their fucking beauty sleep. Who the hell do they think they are? If they thought she was going to be a calm, quiet prisoner, they were quite mistaken.

"HEY!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. "GET THE FUCK UP!"

She wondered if the walls were sound proof, but she didn't have time to figure that out. She stepped up to the door and sat down in front of it. Supporting herself with her forearms against the ground, she banged her feet as strongly as she could against the metal door.

"WAKE"

BANG!

"THE FUCK"

BANG!

"UP!"

BANG!

She slammed her feet a few more times, until the pain became impossible to ignore. The skin underneath her feet had gone numb, despite the socks she had on. Nurse retreated back; she wasn't sure, but she thought she heard some footsteps. Yes. They were getting louder and louder and suddenly, she was regretting what she had done in her moment of anger. She wasn't ready. She couldn't do this. She cowered back into her corner and waited. She waited and prayed to God it was the Red Scout who seemed to be a bit nicer than the rest of his team, or maybe the Heavy whom she believed she could outsmart. But even though she had yet to see the face of who was now getting nearer and nearer, she knew it was neither of those two people. The footsteps were too loud to be Scout's and to quiet to be Heavy's. They made a clinking noise at a very steady pace, as if the owner was wearing high heels... or really fancy men's shoes...

Fuck.

The door to her cell made a screeching noise, as metal scraped against metal. Her heart was pounding inside her chest. There were several clicking noises. Nurse tried to count them, even though she didn't know how knowing the number of locks would help her. As for the identity of the person behind that door, there were two possibilities: Sniper or Spy. Only they wore shoes that made that sound, since the others wore nothing but army boots.

Another screeching noise was heard and this time the door was opened, letting in the artificial light from the hallway. Nurse held her breath and pressed her back against the wall as much as she could, hoping maybe that the stone would swallow her up and hide her from the Spy that stood in the doorway.

"Mademoiselle?" He called in a bittersweet tone.

Nurse bit down on her lip so she wouldn't cry out, because that's what her reflexes were telling her to do. Yell. Just scream and scream.

"Are you _trying_ to wake up the whole base?" His tone melted into a threatening hiss as he slowly made his way deeper into the cell and closer to her.

His movements were snakelike. The way he walked, the way he spoke and the way he drew his blade from his pocket, all reminded Nurse of that terrible slithering creature. The fact that he was dressed in red didn't help either, making him look even more like the demon he was.

"Scout told us you were quiet... what a disappointment."

He was now standing in the center of the room. The butterfly knife was in his hands, flipping and twirling around with skill, without even getting a scratch on him. The door behind him slowly rotated on its hinges and stopped an inch before fully closing.

"What do you people want." She said, her voice wavering at every word.

"From you? Nothing at all my dear."

"Then why am I here?"

"Well, to make the game fair, I suppose. Our Medic, unlike yours, can't afford a tenth member." He shrugged.

"But I'm –"

"Just a Nurse? Yes, yes, we thought so too. Of course, until you begun your training." His voice sent unpleasant chills through her spine. He spoke slowly and calmly, exactly like what a person in his field of work does. His tone matched his profession.

She knew it. This was the Red Scout's fault. He was the only one who saw her training, at least, that she knew of.

"Too bad...I would have liked having a girl on the team, would have had my fun with her." He sighed and looked away from her. "But the Medic spent all the money..."

"On fucking chloroform?" She cut him off, which she was soon going to find out, was a big mistake.

The clicking noises of the knife stopped as his fingers went still. His eyes turned to her, but his head remained still. He smirked, his lips curling into a twisted smile. She noticed how his blade had remained out and how his index was running over the spine. She knew the time had come.

Nurse stood up, but soon realised that every part of her body was shaking. She was scared to death, but that wasn't going to stop her from fucking with this guy as much as she could.

"So, you figured that out?"

"Yeah, figured out that you people are a bunch of pussies."

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. She yelled to herself in her head. She had never called a person a pussy in her life, but she had been a witness at fights and knew how much it pissed people off. Wasn't it a bit derogatory for her, a woman, to be calling him a pussy? No, no, focus, guy with knife here.

The man was obviously taken aback at what she had just said. His eyebrows flew up underneath his balaclava and his smirk stretched even wider, revealing some eerily smiling teeth.

"How so?" He asked, fully turning towards her this time.

"What? Too scared to kidnap me while I'm awake, so you did it when I was sleeping? That's pathetic, but what makes you pussies is that you used chloroform on top of it. I mean, did you really think I'd be able to kick your asses if I woke up? I'm flattered, but you idiots overestimated me."

As 'badass' as that was supposed to sound, her voice was anything but steady. It shook through each sentence and threatened to crack a few times. Nurse couldn't afford to start crying again, especially in front of this guy. He didn't seem like the caring, patient type, you know?

"My, my, you have a mouth on you, don't you? How could have Scout kept this from us?"

The man chuckled and began walking again. It took him only 4 steps to be standing right in front of her. If he had taken another one, he could have felt her heart trying to explode from her ribcage. He twirled the knife around again. Nurse watched it move around his fingers with ease. It left her mesmerized but all the more scared. She couldn't unglue her eyes from the weapon that was about to be the death of her, but then again she didn't have a choice, especially since it was suddenly being held right underneath her chin.

"I'm just going to have to shut you up."

The blade was pressed underneath her chin. Her whole face went ice cold except for the warm liquid gathering up and dripping down her neck. It was blood, but not much of it. Nurse imagined a thin slither of red being drawn as the knife moved about.

Saliva was gathering in her mouth, but she did not dare swallow. She held her breath and closed her eyes, hoping he'd make it quick.

But nothing happened. The knife was pulled away, allowing her to lower her head back down. She narrowed her eyes at him as her hesitant hand went to the wound, wiping away the blood. He tucked the knife back into his pocket and turned to leave. Nurse panicked. She couldn't have him leave her here. This had to end, now. She had to do something.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going, you fucking fag –"

It happened so quickly she didn't even get a chance to react. All she knew now was that there was no air left in her lungs, no voice coming from her mouth and that the Red Spy was staring straight into her eyes with his icy blue glare. The shock made her breath hitch in her throat and the pain made her knees give out, but she did not fall. The man had his whole body pressed against her, preventing her from crumpling to the floor as his knife cut through her arm.

"Do not try me, mademoiselle." He growled, moving the knife down, only slightly.

"Did you really think I would kill you so easily?" He spat.

His words cut through her just like his blade. He pulled it out, only to drag the blade along her skin some more, slowly and with skill. The pain was excruciating and Nurse knew she wouldn't be able to take it anymore. It had built up in her throat this whole time, but she had held it down. She wanted to put up a fight but the knife just wouldn't stop and the blood was just so much, it began to drip all over her. She couldn't bare it anymore. The knife pulled out for a second, only to continue its cutting elsewhere on her body. Nurse could hear his heavy, excited breathing. She couldn't help but look down at this point. The color of her sweater could not be seen anymore, everything had gone crimson. The sight was gruesome but knowing it was happening to her made it worse. She wanted it to stop, she wanted to beg him to stop, but she didn't.

"You are naive." He laughed. "Very, very naive for thinking that I would make this easy for you."

She couldn't do it. She couldn't hold it in anymore.

Nurse yelled. Nurse threw her head back and just yelled as loud as she could. The sound was horrible, it was a shrill shriek that echoed endlessly off the walls of her cell. She didn't stop. She screamed as the pain set in more and more. She screamed until she was fully aware of what was happening. She screamed until the maniac in front of her reluctantly pulled the knife away.

"Damn Medic..." He whispered.

Even after that, she screamed at the sight of what he had done to her. She knew the door was open and she was almost certain that the rest of them could hear her. There was no way they couldn't. She screamed even louder, making sure they all heard. Makin sure they all knew what was happening. Her ears began to ring, but she kept on going.

He stepped away from her. "That is but a taste." He paused and licked his lips. "Of what I plan on doing to you." And he was gone, slamming the door behind him.

Her shouts diminished slowly and died down into strong sobs. She fell to her knees, holding on to her arm. Her whole left side was covered in blood and now so were her jeans. There was a small pool of it around her and she knew that if she didn't act soon, this would be the slow death of her.

Trying to use her left arm the least bit possible, she removed her sweater. Her arm was bare now and the wound could be seen better. She sponged the blood off as much as she could with her clothing but it didn't help all that much. She gathered up the courage to see how deep it was. She spread the flesh a little and hissed in pain. All she needed was a glance. Her arm and other parts of her were covered in red lines that dripped small amounts of blood. The deepest cut ran along her shoulder and was bleeding way too fast. She had to stop it.

Tears began to fall again, but this time it was because of the physical pain and ONLY the physical pain. Nurse was actually quite satisfied with her performance. He got him angry and to her, that still counted as something.

She was already feeling dizzy so she acted fast, tearing her sweater to shreds, using her foot and her good arm and tying it around as tightly as she could. Her 'bandaging' wasn't as professional as she had hoped since she had to use her teeth, but it still stopped the blood. After all, she knew how to keep calm, she was a fucking doctor.

She knew he had not done it on purpose. The first and deepest cut was done out of anger. She had taunted him, so he had charged. The rest were executed out of pure pleasure and excitement. He was a sick man. He had enjoyed playing around with her and had not meant to stab her that hard. Spy wanted to preserve her. He wanted to have his fun.

The pain was slowly getting to her. She felt faint, but refused to let her eyes close. She wasn't sure if she was just tired, or slowly going into shock. She was not taking that chance.

Time passed and the light outside became pinker: it was late in the afternoon. Of course, Nurse wasn't really aware of the time passing at all. She was almost certain she had dozed off by accident a few times, but she fought it anyway. Besides, she couldn't get the Red Spy's face out of her head. She could still feel his eyes on her, breaking her...the thought made her wound ache all the more. He had enjoyed it. The fucking disgusting bastard was having the time of life cutting her up like that. The blood was everywhere, but he loved it.

The cloth was soaked in her blood. She had to change it, but she couldn't move. Her arm was killing her, literally. She wouldn't allow it, though. She wasn't going down like this. She refused.

The things he had said as he tortured her were playing in her head. The words were vague and drowned in her own screaming, but a single sentence stood out from the rest. It boomed clearly in her mind and made her ten times angrier than she already was. It was taking her sanity away. She was going to go crazy in here.

"You are naive." She repeated the sentence out loud. "Very, very naive..."

"Naive..." She whimpered.

He was right, she thought. She WAS naive. She had trusted them, even the enemy Scout and this is what happened. She was angry at him, but she brought this onto herself. She deserved to get cut.

"That's what you get." She said. "That's what you get when you trust people."

She held her injured arm in her grip. It wouldn't stop hurting, she felt like throwing up. She wasn't even sure if the blood had stopped. She wasn't even sure if she was alive anymore. She wished she weren't.

"Trust no one." She whispered into the empty cell and she made herself promise that before finally giving in to her exhaustion.

She woke up in a start at that horrible metallic noise coming from her door again. The clicking noise followed quickly, but the actual opening of the door was delayed. Nurse could hear voices on the other side.

"Spy's gonna kill ya' if he finds out."

There was no answer, but her door was pushed open. A Medic was standing in the doorway. His doctor's jacket was on and so were his gloves, but he wasn't carrying a weapon. Nurse had just opened her eyes and her vision was blurry, but judging by the earlier accent, it was a Sniper standing behind the German.

"What do you want?" She said, still in a haze.

She tried to move but a stinging pain shot up her arm, reminding her why she wasn't wearing anything over her reddened tank top. Her torn up sweater was still in place and the blood was still wet. She hadn't been out for long, seeing as the sun was setting outside. She guessed 6 o'clock.

"I thought you were going to bleed to death." The Doctor said. "But I see you've managed well enough. Vat a relief." He grinned like a mad man.

His eyes went from her face to her arm. She could have sworn the Sniper even flinched a little.

"I'm a qualified doctor." She said, before she could even stop herself. "I know what I'm doing."

There was a pause. Medic threw a glance over his shoulder and made eye contact with his teammate. Nurse was beginning to feel very uneasy; she wasn't really sure how to act with these people.

"They are not coming for you, you know." He said. "You're teammates, that is."

"I'm not expecting them to." She answered. Her tone was different. It sounded odd, even to her. It was as if there was somebody else speaking for her. This new voice was colder and spoke steadily. Maybe it was because she felt no threat from these two or maybe it was because she just didn't care enough anymore, after what happened.

There was silence again, making her realise how heavy and hoarse her breathing was. She didn't want to break eye contact either, but her eyes stung and watered when gazing at the light. The brightness of the hallway was blinding her and the silence of the doctor was getting on her nerves.

"Spy did a number on her." The Sniper whispered into the Medic's ear.

"And let me guess, you're here to break his record right? Good luck." She growled and up until then, she never knew that she was able to actually make such a noise.

She couldn't recognize herself anymore. This wasn't her voice. This wasn't what she sounded like.

The Sniper laughed. "Brat's got a mouth on her, don't she."

"Yes, yes, quite impolite. She should show some gratitude." The man spoke sarcastically, but Nurse had no idea what he was talking about.

Medic stuffed his red glove into a pocket and pulled out a roll. The object was thrown across the room, bouncing on the stone floor once, and coming to a stop at Nurse's feet. She didn't dare touch it, even though she knew what it was, even though she knew she needed it more than anything at the moment.

It was duct tape bandaging, ideal for her wound. That roll could save her life, too bad it would be useless to her. She glanced at the bandage and then back up to the Medic.

"We are not done playing with you, child. Couldn't have you bleeding to death. Just, try not to yell so much next time, okay?" He said in a condescending manner. "Besides, it'll be a nice change for me...experimenting on a woman for once."

The Sniper walked off, but the Medic stayed a second longer, eyeing her from underneath his glasses. Nurse wondered if he was actually waiting to see if she would make a grab for the bandage. Well, he was going to be very disappointed. Eventually, the man sighed and shut the door behind her. The sound of clashing metal resonated through her cell, followed by a single giant clicking noise as all the locks snapped shut at the same time.

Nurse frowned. With a single arm, she crawled up to the door and made a grab for the handle. Yes, it was definitely locked.

"Oh..." She whispered to herself, having just noticed something.

When they wanted to open the door, they had to unlock each and every lock one by one. However, when they were closing it, they weren't locking each and every one over again, meaning that the door locked ITSELF when being shut.

This gave Nurse an idea.

She crawled back to her spot and grabbed the bandaging. She unwrapped the whole thing and tore it into several separate pieces, sticking each piece separately onto her uninjured forearm. Once the job was done, Nurse forced herself to stand up and wobble all the way back to the door. She sat down next to it and stared out the tiny window on the opposite wall. The light had almost disappeared.

Now all she had to do was wait for someone to open that door again.

She had fallen asleep again because it was the only time she was ignorant of how bad her arm hurt. In a way, she was still awake. Sure, she had her eyes closed and was breathing heavily, but she was strangely aware of everything around her. That's probably why she was so easily roused when she heard her name coming from the other side of the door.

"Nurse! You in there?"

"Scout?" She could recognize that Bostonian accent anywhere.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm gonna get ya' outta there."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing, but there wasn't a doubt in her head that that was Scout's voice. Was she dreaming? Had she been wrong about her teammates not coming to save her? She didn't care. She couldn't care less because she was soon going to be free. She didn't even have to go through with her plan. All she wanted to do was get the hell out of there.

She heard the locks being clicked open and finally the sound of the screeching metal, a sound that she would have never thought to find beautiful. The door opened and she scrambled to her feet, ready to attack Scout into a giant hug. The door swung to the side and Nurse hooked her good arm around her saviour's neck. She nestled her head in the crook of his neck and began mumbling soft 'thank you's.

Scout wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly as well. Nurse slowly opened her tear soaked eyes and was met with the sight of his strong back and...

It was like being punched in the gut.

Nurse slowly opened her tear soaked eyes and was met with the sight of his strong RED CLAD back. This wasn't her Scout. This wasn't the Blu Scout. How could she be so stupid! Her saviour was the enemy, the same enemy that trapped her in here in the first place. That same enemy that had cut her arm open and had let her bleed. Why was he saving her? Why was he letting her out? She had no answers, as usual. For all she knew, it could be a trap. Her heart felt heavy with disappointment and suddenly, she was so unsure about everything.

'Trust no one.' She said to herself, as much as it pained her.

This was a Red. This was a Red that had spied on her and then kidnapped her. This Scout was the one who followed her around and watched her the whole time. If anyone was to blame, he would be on top of the list. The picture of Spy's terrifying smiling face flashed in her skull and the pain shot through her whole body. She began to shake as she began to fully understand WHO it was she was really hugging here.

Scout had still not let go of her waist, and that's another question she was going to have to ask herself later. He was holding her tightly, maybe to keep her from just running off? No, that would be too simple. This was definitely some kind of twisted trick. There was no way he was letting her out this easily. For all she knew, there could be some crazy mercenary around the corner, just waiting to get his hands on her. Or worse, it could be the Spy again.

"They're all downstairs eating, we need to get out before they finish." He said.

She slowly slipped away and backed off into her cell again. "No." She whispered.

"What?"

"I'm not going with you." She said. "I don't trust you." Her voice was broken and shook along with the rest of her body. She suddenly felt really cold and almost believed that she was going to die right there and then.

Scout's face was hard to read. He wasn't staring straight at her, but more at the cuts all over her. He had a gentle frown on his face and his mouth was hanging slightly open, as if he didn't quite understand what was going on, even though he was the one who was initiating this 'escape'. He looked as lost as she was.

"They said they didn't..." His voice trailed off. "Nurse." He looked straight at her and her expression became rigid once more.

"I'm not coming with you."

"Yes you are." He took a step into the cell and made a grab for her, but Nurse cowered away.

"No. Leave me alone." She hissed. "Do you really think I'm stupid enough to believe you?"

He didn't answer, but he obeyed. Scout backed away and stood at the threshold. He gazed scornfully and Nurse returned the dirty look.

"You don't trust me." He stated.

She shook her head.

"Well, you should." He walked off, leaving the door open.

This, Nurse wasn't expecting. Hesitantly, she walked back to the door and glanced out. Scout was walking away slowly, very slowly. Probably waiting to see what move she was going to make. He said they were downstairs having dinner. If this was true, escaping would be fairly easy. But what if it was a lie? Could she take that risk? This could be another one of their tortures, the worse kind even. Giving her a glimpse of freedom and taking it away just as fast.

Scout was still walking. "Just run." He called to her. "You're free to go."

'Trust no one.' She repeated once again. Tearing off the strips of tape from her arm, she checked the hallway to see if Scout still had his back to her. She placed three layers of tape onto the four holes in which the latches were supposed to fall into and stuck her head out into the hall again.

"No." She said loud enough for him to hear and slammed the door shut, trapping herself inside.

The sound of metal against metal resonated through the silence, but to Nurse, it was a victorious sound.

She smirked. There had not been a single click.

Sure, she could have escaped when he opened the door for her, but that would have been too risky. She didn't know her way around the place and Scout had proven to be a liar, just like the rest of his team. It was his job, after all, so this way she could hate him as much as she despised the rest. The way it was supposed to be.

All that was left to do was wait. She gazed up at the window. It was completely dark outside, but it was a clear night, meaning she could see the moon. She would have to wait a while to escape. After midnight would be the best choice, when everyone was hopefully asleep.

She trust that her plan had worked. The latches had not made the clicking sound, which can only mean that the tape held them back. All she had to do, when the time came, was pull the door open and sneak out.

Nurse was incredibly excited and was confident that everything would go well. The only hard thing would be holding back from murdering each and every one of these assholes in their sleep and see how they like it.

She leaned her head onto the wall again, but this time made sure not fall asleep. She couldn't afford to sleep through the night and then have to live another day in here. She glanced around her cell and saw some discarded leftover tape.

"I'll leave them a souvenir, then." She said to herself and pulled off her raggedy sweater from off her arm. The wound was exposed again and Nurse flinched at the sight of it. It looked nasty, still bloody and quite infected too. She left the dripping piece of clothing behind and redid the job using the bandages. She felt a little better and could move with more ease.

Now that that was taken care of, she waited. She waited for the moon to move to the right place so that she could too.


	7. Chapter 7

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 7- Trophy

By, the Unlucky-Charm

Nurse was tired of waiting. Each footstep she heard outside her cell scared the fucking crap out of her each time, but eventually, they all died out. She knew she still had a while to wait even if everyone had gone to sleep, or at least that's what made the most sense of the sudden silence.

She began to pace again because sitting down increased the chances of falling asleep. She calculated the seconds it took to walk from one end to the other, then she did the same while running, then skipping, then all of it backwards. She was bored. She was in pain. She needed to get her mind off those things and organize her thoughts. The blood everywhere wasn't allowing her to think straight. In one corner lay her tattered, bloodied sweater and in the other was the pool of her own blood. The sight was gut wrenching, but what made it worse is that she knew where it had come from... she shuddered; and what had caused it.

A while passed and she couldn't resist anymore. Clutching her bad arm, she dragged herself to the puddle. In the dim light, it looked like ink; the redness was barely visible. Sliding her foot forward, she reluctantly dipped her toe into it. Her sock got a little wet and she scraped it against the floor, leaving a red streak. This gave her an idea.

In the 'Chamber of secrets', the second Harry Potter movie, Ginny gets all possessed and shit and writes a message on the walls with blood. Nurse wasn't sure if Ginny had used her own blood, but she didn't have much of a choice, she just needed to entertain herself for a while. Question was, what should she write? The point of it is to piss them off, so it had to be something short, obnoxious and arrogant.

Trying to find a clever goodbye note was something new to entertain herself with until it was time. To be honest, she really didn't know when that time was. She figured she'd get on the move the second she felt a little tired. She really could NOT afford to fall asleep at this point.

It was remarkable to her, how little these people valued human life. They just killed as if this whole thing was a game to them. She didn't get the point of it in the first place, but they seemed to be making a good amount of cash, so that was sort of self explanatory. It was like they got points for each person they killed and they got a certain number of lives and a medical gun to heal them when they got injured. The more Nurse thought about it, the more she started to believe that this whole battlefield was some kind of stimulation for a video game. That's why they wanted to get rid of her. Someone had hacked into the system and added a character.

She knew what to write.

Exactly two hours later, Nurse was ready to leave the cell. She wiped the blood off her index finger onto her already stained tank top. She turned to get one last glimpse of her cell before she left. The message was leaking a little bit, but still very readable.

"Game over." She read and stepped out, making as little noise as possible.

A wave of very warm air hit her straight in the face when she walked out. The hallway was like a fucking sauna. The cell was much cooler. There was almost no air in the damn place. Couldn't someone open a window or something? Apparently not since almost every door in the hallway was left open, letting out small breathing and snoring noises. The hum of a heater could also be heard from the vents, maybe it was broken.

Nurse crept deeper into the corridor, peeking into one of the bedrooms. Though she could not see much, it was obvious that the heap at the foot of the bed were the sheets thrown aside. Next to the pile, lay a bowl shaped helmet.

Her heartbeat was going way too fast. The adrenaline was pumping through her veins, taking over the feeling of pain, at least temporarily.

She needed to get out of there and fast. She had to keep movement to a minimum, these men were serious about what they did, one wrong move and these professionals would sense her presence.

She slowly backed away from Engineer's (or Soldier's) room and tried to remember which way the Red Scout was about to lead her before she refused his assistance. Or was it a trap? Should she take the opposite way then?

'Okay, this is basically our base, but kind of...opposite.' She thought.

She closed her eyes and pictured the Blu base, trying to figure out her way downstairs. If she stepped out of her room, she would find herself in the hallway and then would go down the hall, towards the window at the end of it.

She opened her eyes. The window was on the right, that's the way she had to go and to her dismay, that was where the rows of bedrooms continued. As she tiptoed across the hallway, she caught glimpses of sheets thrown aside, sleeping heads, and alarm clocks with their bright red numbers glowing through the dark. It was a little past 2 am and she was tired, but she went on anyway. All these beds were tempting her, but knowing what kind of people slept in them kept her far away.

Nurse had never walked so slowly in her life. She couldn't make a sound, she couldn't afford to make that mistake. Two bedrooms passed, four...and to her horror, she came across an empty bed. She didn't know who it belonged to, but what she did know was that that person could be anywhere else in the base. It really didn't matter who it was, they were all dangerous in their own way. For all she knew, he could be right behind her and invisible too. Hell, that same person could have even been in her cell all this time. Now, THAT thought was absolutely terrifying.

Despite the empty bed, she continued her way at the speed of an old lady. She passed those rooms and came across number 5 and 6. The one on the right had its door closed, but door number 5 held something a little more interesting.

The idiot Scout who was now laying with the upper half of his body on the floor and his legs on the mattress, had left his door wide open. The light from the hall poured into his room, revealing the body of a very well built young man with the face of a boy, sleeping peacefully. His eyes close and his breathing slow, Nurse found it hard to believe that he was capable of murder. She supposed it was behind those closed lids that lay the fire that fueled him to run after the taste of blood.

Nurse found herself wanting to reach out. She wanted to experience _this _Scout, not the one who got her locked up. She backed away before she did anything stupid, she had to remind herself of the danger. She'd seen him on the field, after all.

The boy was a monster.

It was even harder to believe that he was the one helping her escape a few hours ago. No, there was no use convincing herself of that; it was impossible. It was a trick. He wanted to have his fun, play with his food before his teammate finished it off. That's all it was.

She stood by the doorway for a while longer. He had all his clothes lying around, along with bat leaning on the dresser right by the door. The weapon was an arm's length away. She could just... grab it. It could be useful too, especially since one of the team members was up.

"Sorry." She whispered before she could even stop herself and ran, bat in hand. It was a stupid thing to do, seeing as she had managed to keep quiet the whole time and was just throwing it all away. And why? To apologize to the bastard who was about to be the cause of her death? Yes, that's what she was doing, but only because she couldn't help the guilt weighing down on her chest all of a sudden. She pushed it down. If anyone had to feel guilty it was him, she kept repeating to herself, although, she remained quite aware of what she was holding oh so very tightly in her grip. It's just a baseball bat, surely he had some more. The least he could do is spare her this one...that is, if he really did wish for her to escape.

Finally, she made it to the other side, in front of the stairwell that would lead to her freedom. At this point, she had enough of tiptoeing. Clutching the bat to her side, she raced her way down. She skipped steps, not even pausing at every switch of staircase. Two floors later, she stopped before the door and set her hand on the knob. It was all one big sprint down the hall after this and then, out the side door, which was the emergency exit. If anyone stood in her way, she'd make as much good use of this bat as she could.

She twisted the handle and pushed the door open with her shoulder by two inches. A thin ray of artificial light drew itself on the grey floor of the stairwell. Her arm was going to kill her, she was certain. She held her breath, shut her eyes, pushed the door open violently with her shoulder and made a run for it. The door hit the wall with a slam behind her, she made a beeline down the hall, her footsteps echoing through the emptiness. The whole place was deserted; absolutely no one in sight. Nurse had never understood the idea of "too quiet" until now. An eerie silence reigned in the whole place, putting her on guard. The absence of noise was unnatural and frankly, a little disturbing. The only comfort it brought her was that it could only mean that no one was awake.

It had been a smooth journey downstairs and towards the emergency exit, so Nurse was definitely expecting an obstacle at any second now. She was thinking along the lines of her bandages coming undone or an alarm sounding, but definitely NOT a passed out Red Demoman laying in her way with his head pressed up against the door, aka her way out.

He reeked of alcohol and was hiccupping in his sleep. Nurse couldn't help but notice the empty bottle of an unknown liquor dangling in between his thick fingers. The stuff looked strong, but based on the Blu Demoman's ways she had the privilege of witnessing, she was sure the Red one could handle it just as well.

"Aye!" He yelped in his sleep.

Nurse gasped and backed away into the opposite wall.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, he heard her. He heard and he was waking up. He groaned as he stirred in his spot and forced open his right lid. His dark but bloodshot eyes took some time to focus and even more time to realise who exactly it was standing above him, staring down with wide, horror struck eyes.

His confused, drunken expression morphed before her, into a malicious grin, stretching over his teeth and pushing his moustache upwards to his nose. Despite how damaged his single working eye seemed, that twinkle of insanity did not fail to shine. Spy too had that same brightness in his eyes, only his was like he had procured himself a new toy to have his fun with. Demoman's, on the other hand, was somewhat different. It had a certain uncontrollable edge to it, as if somebody had just challenged him and boy was he ready to show them what he's got.

"Ohohoho, look at what we've got here!" His breath smelled like booze and his accent was coming off stronger than usual. "What do ya' think ya' doin' lass? Wanderin' aboot in –"

She had no other choice. His voice was getting louder and louder with every word he spoke. That man could wake up his whole base, if not both of them. The alcohol had already made him uncoordinated and wobbly, so hitting him right with one arm wasn't that difficult, since his reflexes weren't on his side.

Though it amazed her how easily it knocked him out. She wasn't that strong in the first place, so when she swung the bat around, she was surprised at how the Scot just fell over the second the bat was in contact with the side of his head. She gazed down at the bat and then at the unconscious body of the Demoman. That REALLY was not supposed to happen.

'How ironic,' She thought bitterly, 'that it say 'Sandman' on the bat.'

Before dashing out into the night like some superhero going to the rescue of others, Nurse made sure to check that the man was breathing right.

"What the hell are you doing." She scolded herself. Normally she should have stopped herself but the doctor in her had not died because of this misfortune and she wasn't going to let it happen now. With pride, she did her job, checking everything she could, making sure he was alright and turning him over to his side so he wouldn't choke on his own vomit.

She contemplated leaving the bat behind, but you never know. Plus, it was proof of what she was capable of, something she could take to her base and well, show off, like some kind of trophy maybe? She wasn't really sure what it took to 'impress' these people.

She shut her eyes tightly, bracing herself for whatever alarm could sound when she opened the door, but a soft creak was the only noise that warned the Red team that their prisoner was escaping.

The ice night air hit her like one big wrecking ball in the gut. She hadn't know it was this cold, especially with the temperature inside the base and the light tank top really wasn't appropriate for the almost freezing degrees it was outside. It was beyond dark too, or it would've been if it weren't for the moon and all the stars surrounding it. The night here was so much more than the nights in the city. If Nurse weren't in this situation, the scenery would've been beautiful instead of terrifying. There wasn't much she could make out but the silhouette of the base and that was good enough for her.

So she ran. She ran like the world was running after her. She felt like she was flying in nothingness, in an empty black space amongst the stars, all alone with nothing left to do but run. She wasn't aware of anything anymore. Not the cold biting and pinching at her skin, not the wound on her arm that yelled out for her attention, not even the shining heavens that were lighting her way from one hell to a lesser one.

Even when the base got fairly closer and closer, Nurse didn't slow down. She wanted it all too much to slow down. And even when her whole body slammed against the door and her arm sent waves of hurt through her, she did not make a sound. She wanted to keep running, running and running, to run all the way through that door.

With an open palm, she beat at the door, then with a closed fist and then with her knuckles as hard as she could. She wanted to cry out, make any kind of noise she could, but she was barely able to catch up with her breath, let alone shout out. She was heaving hard, she had passed her limit with the running. Standing up was starting to become a difficult task and so was inhaling. Her knees were threatening to buckle down underneath her and she would just love to finally lay down. She just needed them to see her like this: alive. Then... then she could fall apart.

She was on the edge of desperation, on the verge of clawing at the door, when it finally opened. The opening was but a foot wide when she forced it with her shoulder and clumsily slipped inside. Nurse didn't even get a glimpse of who had let her in. She was too busy slamming the door shut behind her, even before it was fully opened. Once she heard the lock click, she did not part from it. Her open palms shook against it as she slowly began to regain her ability to breathe. She shut her eyes and pressed her head against it too.

"Bleedin' Christ." The person behind her muttered under his breath. It was almost like a whisper, but loud enough for Nurse to tell how very Australian the accent was.

"MEDIC." He shouted suddenly, which was a remarkable and very sudden change in volume. That shout travelled all the through the barrier of silence inside the sleeping bases that Nurse's ears had become accustomed to. His voice boomed like waves of thunder, resonating through the base and starting a ringing in her head.

"MEDIC." He called out once more, very urgently this time.

The man was travelling halfway down the hall and then back again; calling for the doctor and checking on her. Nurse could see him from the corner of his eyes, but kept her back to him. When he received no answer, the man growled underneath his breath.

"Goddamnit... MEDIC!"

Nurse remained completely still. She wanted to just let go and finally fall apart like she was planning on to, just like she was meant to. She was tired of holding back because in the end, all that was left to do was give up and let her weak self shatter to pieces. Weren't those their intentions in the first place?

Nurse could hear Sniper running up and down the hall, the pitter-patter of his shoeless feet and his heavy breathing. She still didn't look at him. She kept her face buried in the door and her body weight pressed against it, as if someone was going to burst through at any moment and take her away, as if she was keeping the whole world out... where they couldn't see her.

The bat was still in her grasp, but she wasn't noticing it much anymore. The relief, the pain, the receding fear and the panic were all too much to handle. She wasn't aware of anything or more like she didn't want to be. She wished she could throw herself into that dark pit that was the evening sky and float away.

She heard Sniper's footsteps getting closer and then he knew he was standing behind her. Medic wasn't answering him, so why didn't he go fetch him then? She wanted his 'mentor' to see, see what she had been through and what she had brought back. She wanted to tell him all about what happened, but she knew she couldn't even speak at the moment. They could at least come down and see for themselves. Her arm should be a good enough explanation.

She felt a heavy hand settle gently on her shoulder. She wanted to panic but the energy had drained out of her. Besides, Sniper wasn't much of a threat.

He slowly turned her around. Her lowered eyes met his socks and PJ bottoms, but they weren't very interesting to look at. She pulled her gaze up and stared straight into the bushman's tired eyes, but not even close to how exhausted hers were.

Sniper looked absolutely horrified; eyes concentrated on her, a furious frown and mouth hanging open. Why was he staring at her stomach though? He looked like he was mad at her, up until he raised his own gaze to meet hers. Nurse did not spare him any more than a blank look. He would have seen more feeling in those eyes if she had been dead.

"Shit." He hissed and next thing she knew, she was being hauled over his shoulder and dashing through hallways and staircases. His shoulder jabbed into her stomach every time he took a step; she would have thrown up if she had eaten anything. Nurse could feel his large hand pressed against the small of his back and his arm wrapped around the backs of her knees. She kept one of her own arms loosely around his neck . She wished she could hold on better, but her muscles just went numb every time she tried to clench.

She watched the floor move underneath them and the bat dangle from her grip, threatening to fall,

"MEDIC!" The words exploded from his throat when they reached the second floor. The deafening noise he made was so loud, she felt the vibrations of his vocal chords on her arm, all the way through his neck. That's how she knew his voice shook. His tone was very unstable, nervous even.

Some mercenary, she thought, can't even handle seeing a bloody bandage on someone's arm.

On her part, she was struggling to keep her eyes open. She wouldn't have to for much longer, though, since one by one, she heard the clicks and creaks of bedroom doors being opened, followed by the heavy footsteps and the groans and complaints of her awakened teammates.

"Sniper. Vat is... oh."

Nurse felt herself slipping. Then, her feet met the floor and she was spun around. Sniper's grip on her shoulder disappeared, but his hands lingered above, just in case she stumbled.

She counted. All 8 pairs of eyes were on her, wearing the same mix of shocked and angry expressions, like Sniper's had been. They were all staring at her abdomen too, all except for Spy. The masked man shut his eyes, but that's about it.

"What id God's name..."

Nurse's legs began to shake and it only got worse when she finally looked down. She was wondering what everyone was staring at, but now she knew.

With the artificial light of the hall glowing, her tank top had become somewhat see through, almost like a veil. So not only did everyone now know that her bra was black, but that her entire abdomen was covered in variations and patterns of dozens of little cuts. Even her chest, even her thighs; he had cut through the denim too.

Her arms and hell, maybe even her face; red lines absolutely everywhere. It was as if somebody had drawn on her with a red ballpoint pen. The cuts were thin, but their number made Nurse sick to her stomach all over again. She felt the millions of questions surfacing in her mind and suddenly, the stab in her arm was no longer priority. She felt violated. She felt like it happened in her sleep because, fuck, she could not remember a thing anymore. Even to her, those cuts covering her skin were new.

Last thing she saw was Scout running to her. He held her face and shouted something. The sound was first to disappear, then all the feeling and finally, everything went black.

**Blu Scout**

It was the third time he slammed his fist into the wall, creating a new dent, aligned with the other two.

"Scout..."

"Fuck you, okay? All of you." He yelled at Engineer who had spent the last 2 hours trying to calm the young man down. It had worked for a while, in the beginning, but that image...it just kept coming back to him and it was all downhill from there.

"What the FUCK happened to her? Did you..." He paused. He could feel his voice about to crack. "Did you even see what she looked like? A fucking zombie! There wasn't an inch of her without a scratch!"

When Nurse had been announced missing the day before, Scout was the first to speak up. Obviously, his rescue plan was cruelly rejected by the rest of the team in a second. After that, Scout was on his own and not a second passed during that unbearable stretch of time where he wasn't trying to devise an escape for himself. He had to go get her. He knew he did and yet, it was incredibly hard with 8 other trained mercenaries standing in your way.

"Fuck!"

Boom. Fourth dent.

"What's taking Medic so damn long!" He wasn't thinking straight.

"Girl's in shock Scout..."

"No shit!"

He plopped himself down onto the couch, burying his face into his palms.

"Go for a walk son, we'll call you if something happens." Even Soldier's voice was sullen.

Scout didn't want to obey. He wanted to fight back. He wanted to make them feel even worse than they already did. He wanted to stay there and yell at them, but being alone suddenly sounded like a much better idea than being stuck in a room full of people you want to punch. As he left, he made it a point to slam the door behind him.

He stepped out into the quiet hallway, its air free of other people's guilt. It was refreshing, it was kind of hot in that room anyway. Unfortunately, his sought out solitude did not last long when he heard a second pair of footsteps, other than his own, coming from right behind him. Being trained for such situations, Scout was not the least bit startled or panicked. From the corner of his eye, he could already see that the hallway behind him was completely empty. He sighed.

"No use fucking cloaking, I know you're there."

He turned around just as Spy materialized in front of him. He did not say a word and instead, stared at Scout with a solid gaze. Spy never showed any emotion, Scout knew that, but for some reason, at that moment, he wanted to punch him in the face. Maybe it was because it was so unbalanced. He himself was so upset and yet the man in front of him had a heart of stone. When the man really showed no sign of speaking, Scout grit his teeth.

"Try being a little more quiet next time."

This taunt at least got a chuckle out of him. A sarcastic one of course, but a chuckle nonetheless.

"Boy, if I didn't want to be noticed, I wouldn't have been." His French accent made even his snootiest comments even snootier. This man was probably the most arrogant being Scout had ever met, including himself. He had every right to be, because no one could deny how well Spy really did his job, but it was still unnecessary sometimes. This was one of those times.

"Then what the hell do you want?"

Spy pretended to be cleaning the dirt underneath his fingernails with cliché nonchalance. "To talk. That is all."

Scout wanted to be mad at him. Scout wanted to yell at him and say that it was all his fault that Nurse, the one person he was magically able to talk to honestly, was all cut up. And because he couldn't, for reasons that he denied, Scout settled on sneering at him.

"Just because you love someone, doesn't give you the right to be a little bitch." He said, snatching out a cigarette from the pack he kept up his sleeve.

"You're a fucking asshole, you know that? You SAW what she looked like, French bastard. I don't love her, so don't go making up shit. Would you treat a girl like that? Enemy or not, that's disgusting." Scout spat in the other man's face. With every word, he strode closer, just until their chests were dangerously close. He was shorter than the Frenchman but not by much, so if he was trying to be intimidating it wasn't going to work because Scout was ready to punch that emotionless smoker straight in the jaw.

"Oh please." Rolling his eyes, he dropped the butt and put it out with his shoe. "It wasn't that bad."

His arm darted out, grabbing the taller man by the neck and slamming him into the nearest wall. He would choke him. He would if he made him. One more word, that's all it took.

Scout stared straight at him, his nose inches away from his. His breathing was hard and unlike the man he was holding up against the wall, he was anything but calm, which defeated the purpose of stepping out there in the first place. He was already pissed off, so what the hell was this guy trying to do? What was the goddamn point of provoking him even further?

"Say that again Frenchie, I fucking dare you." He hissed, squeezing a little harder.

His teeth were so tightly clenched that he felt like they were going break. He hated how relaxed Spy was. He hated how his dark blue-gray eyes shamelessly stared right back at him. He hated how the corner of his lips curled into an amused smirk. He hated how the soft skin of his neck felt underneath his palm. He hated how Spy was the one pinned against the wall and yet was fully in control. Scout hated how the more he stared at him, the more his mouth went dry, the more his eyes lost their fury , the more he sweat and the more his cheeks turned red. He hated how his grip was loosening without him wanting it to. He hated how he wanted to lean in and just...

Spy's smirk stretched wider and his eyes bore deeper and deeper through Scout. The Frenchman's gaze darted downward to Scout's trembling wrist, then right back up to meet the boy's again.

"That bad, huh?"

At those words, Scout's eyelids flew open. His hand fell back to his side as an uncomfortable shiver ran down his spine. What did he just... What had he –

"Scout!" A voice called from down the hall. It was Medic. "You may see her now."

The sudden use of his name grasped his attention. Medic was leaning against the doorframe of the infirmary, his eyes darkened and tired. He wasn't wearing his lab coat, just the vest and rubber gloves, soaked in red only at the fingertips.

Scout didn't bother turning around to get one last glimpse at Spy because he was well aware that the Frenchman had cloaked himself the second he heard the Medic coming. The sneaky bastard... those last words he spoke would stay with him for a while, until he figured out what they meant, or until Nurse was healthy enough to tell him herself. She had once pointed out how much he overanalysed certain things, making Scout slowly realise that he needed her more than he had thought.

He ran the short distance to the infirmary, only to be stopped at the threshold by Medic. His arm darted out in front of him the second he was about to enter the room. His chest hit him hard, but of course, the German did not even flinch.

"She is in shock." He informed her. "She is not speaking very much. All I know for sure is that she was tortured and cannot remember a thing of it except for that one stab on her arm she tended to herself. I have no idea where she got the materials to do so and I have no idea who's responsible for the damage." He paused and sighed exaggeratedly. "I informed her that you wished to go and save her. I thought it was only fair to mention it." Medic's tone was soft for once. Even from behind his specs, Scout could tell the doctor felt at least a little guilty.

The arm was removed, letting Scout through. He didn't have to look around for very long because Nurse was laying on the very first bed one would lay eyes on when entering the infirmary. In fact, she wasn't even laying. The younger girl sat on the edge of the bed with her feet dangling over the floor. She had a brand new bandage wrapped around what Scout figured was that big stab wound Medic was talking about and stitches on her lower lip. She had exchanged her bloody and tattered clothing for sweatpants and a T-shirt. Scout was relieved to see that there were no longer tiny cuts along her arms and was even more relieved when he was rewarded the tiniest of smiles when Nurse finally noticed him.

"Hey..." He muttered, gently wrapping his arms around her. For a second, Nurse was still and then responded to the hug. She gripped at his clothes tightly and buried her face into his shoulder. "I tried." Scout whispered. "I swear I did."

"I know..."

The sight of her was sad. Sad and broken. Scout didn't really know what else to say or what to do even. He sat down next to her and waited. She wasn't crying and it didn't look like she would either. Crying women were always so easy to deal with it. All you had to do was pat them on the back and tell them that everything was going to be okay. This was different, though. He'd be lying if he told her it was alright, because it wasn't. She was still stuck here. She wasn't safe and in less than 2 days, she would have to start working again unless Medic suddenly became very, very merciful.

"Your cuts are gone." He said softly.

"Medic used the gun on me... so it won't scar." She didn't sound like herself at all.

"What about that bandage."

"It was too late for that. It's gonna have to heal on its own."

She wouldn't meet his eyes. She kept her gaze down, staring into emptiness, frozen. He put his arm around her, but that didn't make much of a difference. At least she didn't shrug him off.

They sat in silence for a while longer, but Scout didn't mind. He would give her all the time she needed, even if in the end she didn't say anything else. Well, that was his plan until he saw something leaning against the night table; something he hadn't noticed before.

"Is that my Sandman?" He couldn't help but ask, his tone leaving his mouth with an unwanted hint of irritation.

"Not yours." She replied.

"Excuse me?"

"Red Scout's Sandman."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." He got up and stood in font of her, his arms waving around. "You stole the other Scout's Sandman?"

Her eyes dragged themselves upwards to the boy's face. She spoke, her lips barely moving and her voice, cold as ice.

"It was necessary."

"Ha! Fuck necessary! That's awesome!" He didn't want to sound so excited during such a hard time for her, but just the thought of that Red rat bastard waking up without his favourite bat in its rightful place was way too perfect to just let pass.

She took a deep breaths. "Like I said: it was necessary."

"How come? Oh shit, did you use it?"

She nodded. "Scout..."

"Yeah?"

"I think... I think I need to tell you what happened."

Scout's smile dropped and his face became very serious. He sat back down next to her, bringing his knees up to his chest, in his favourite listening position.

"Of course."

She told him absolutely everything. Not a single detail was tossed aside in the story. She was speaking very quickly, but Scout never cut her off or interrupted. He listened intently, slowly developing a new found hatred for a few members of the Red team, specifically for a certain French jackass. When the narrative ended, he had a million questions in mind, but those weren't his priority.

"Nurse... I'm really, really sorry. You know that."

"Yes."

"But I have to tell the others about this."

"No, Scout please, I –"

"Nurse." He brought his hands up to her face, cupping her cheeks in his taped palms. "You don't understand. Those other guys, they don't think you're capable. They don't think you're good enough." He chuckled. "They don't know how wrong they are."

She shut her eyes and grabbed on to Scout's wrist.

"Nurse, they have to know."

Scout stood with his arms crossed over his chest and a smug smile playing on his lips when he finished retelling Nurse's story. His teammates were shocked, some letting their mouths hang open while others shook their heads in disbelief.

"How does it feel to be oh so very wrong?" He asked them. He had been the only one not to share that 'damsel in distress' opinion of Nurse. He had known they were wrong since the second they decided to confront Medic about it, but now, this just proved it. They didn't answer his question, but their expressions were enough to please Scout.

He had left Nurse, promising her that he would be back soon and now that he told the story, he was ready to leave. That is, if Spy would decide to shut his mouth for once in his life.

"She is in trouble." He said from the corner of the room.

All the attention suddenly shifted onto him. Scout sometimes wondered if the man actually WAITED for everyone to be silent to speak up. He was sure he enjoyed being so damn dramatic all the time. All eyes were now on him, except for Scout who, after what happened with the Frenchman earlier, couldn't bare to meet those metallic eyes.

"What d'ya mean?"

"By escaping, she had created conflict between the member of Red."

"What in God's name are ya' talkin' 'bout."

"Think, you idiots. She outsmarted at least 4 members of the Red team, they won't take kindly to that, I assure you. She talked back to the Sniper, she used the Medic's technique against him, she taunted the Spy with that message and she stole the Scout's favourite bat, not to mention she whacked the Demoman with that same bat. Do you really think that they will not come after her?"

The room went silent. If it hadn't, no one would have probably heard what Engineer mumbled under his breath. Even the surprised face he made after he said it proved that he hadn't meant that to be heard by the rest.

"I know _someone_ who's after her." He chuckled to himself in a sing song voice.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" The Spy crossed his arms over his chest.

The spotlight shifted to Engineer, who clearly did not do very good when put on the spot. The Texan scratched the back of his head nervously, maintaining his good natured smile.

"Ya'll are blind as bats." He said shaking his head. "Are ya' seriously telling me that nobody found it even the least bit weird that that Red Scout would let her escape?"

"Weren't you listening ya' dumb Truckie? It was all a trick." Sniper chimed in.

"She don't know that. What proof is there?" He got up and leaned on the wall behind him. Engineer could easily say that he was the least socially awkward one of them all and that by a long shot. He could see that none of his teammates could tell where he was really going with this. Well, maybe Spy, but that spook didn't really seem to give a damn.

"Scout. If we had a prisoner in here, girl or boy, it don't matter, would you let him out just for the sake of screwin' with 'em?"

"No, then I'd just be an asshole, but that don't mean shit. I'm not like the other Scout!"

"Ah, ah, ah, ya' only sayin' that 'cause he's the enemy. What ya'll need to start understanding is that these teams were made equally. My values are the same as the Red Engineer's. Heavy's strength is equivalent to the Red one's and so on and so on."

Many of the team members weren't very pleased with Engineer's deduction, all with them being compared to their rivals, but if they were to trust anyone's word, it'd have to be the Texan's.

"Now tell me somethin' else. Scout, if we had a prisoner in here, would ya' risk your own skin tryin' to save them?"

"No way! I'd never betray –"

Engineer grinned as comprehension dawned on a few of his teammates faces.

"Christ..." Sniper laughed, rubbing at his temples.

Looking around the room, Scout knew that a lot of them were starting to understand Engineer's train of thought and hence, sharing the opinion. Medic was frowning in disapproval, but not even a blind person could miss the playful smirk playing on his lips. Sniper had clearly understood, Spy probably already knew and as for the rest, clueless as ever.

"But he did..." Scout finished off the sentence, pointing out the obvious.

Engineer, grin still plastered on his face, peeled himself off the wall and crossed the room, heading for the exit. As he walked by Scout, he slapped a large hand over the boy's shoulder and gave him a friendly smirk.

"And what does that tell us about him, hm?"

A little more than we bargained for, Scout wanted to answer, but instead, remained frozen in place as the rest of his teammates left the room one by one.

"Keep an eye on zat Red Scout. I do not vant him pulling a Romeo in the middle of the night!" The Medic ordered at the team.

Yeah, right, Scout thought. "Holding Nurse back from ripping his throat out would be the real problem." He muttered and was the last to leave.

**Blu Sniper**

He had seen a whole lot of gore in his life, some of it being his own doing, but there was something different about Nurse. The lines were so thin, barely leaking out with blood and she looked so broken, it was almost beautiful. Hell, Sniper would've liked to call that art, if the idea of it weren't so horrible.

'Brave lil' thing, ain't she.' He was thinking to himself as Scout told them the story. It took a lot of gut to do what she did. Taunting a Spy like that was a dangerous move to make and she will be regretting it soon as well, but it was still something worth admiring.

But it was what Engineer had pointed that had peeked his interest. The second he understood what the Texan was implying, his eyes darted to the Spy who, surely enough, was already looking at him. The Frenchman glanced at the door and nodded; looks like they would be having another talk tonight as well.

When everybody left, Sniper didn't even bother waiting for another signal and headed straight for Spy's room. The door was left open, meaning the man's mind was somewhere else, analysing and processing; he never forgot such basic tasks, like locking the door.

"Hey spook, you in here?"

He was, but of course, was too busy pacing and mumbling to himself to notice the bushman walk in.

"Would you calm down. So they both like the Nurse, who cares? Doesn't concern you, mate."

"If only you were right, my stupid friend." He muttered.

"Gee thanks." Sniper rolled his eyes. "Anything you wanna tell me, or am I just here to watch you think?"

"Both." He finally stopped pacing and turned to the Australian. "Engineer is right about the Red Scout. It is the only explanation."

"I can think of a few." Sniper mumbled to himself, a little disgruntled.

"Don't think, it doesn't suit you. Anyway, I had a little confrontation with our Scout earlier. I'm afraid I might have...provoked him a little bit." He said, smirking like a mad man.

"You know, you look real crazy when you smile like that." Sniper sighed. "So you pissed him off...then?"

"My theory was correct." He said solemnly, as if it were such a burden.

"You know what spook? I think you're taking shots in the dark here. You went ahead and pissed the kid off, more than he already was. How did that give ya' answers? You're just talkin' bullshit mate."

"You idiot, I do not take shots in the dark! And even if I did, I never miss." He said cockily. "As I said, I provoked him. He attacked me and well... we were standing quite close."

"Oh, how bloody romantic." Sniper cut in with sarcasm.

"Shut up, bushman. The boy hesitated. He shook and his gaze wavered. He had me in his grasp and yet, was terrified. He might even know that I know."

Sniper grunted and took his hat off, running his hands through his hair. He was fucking tired, especially after having been woken up by a zombie Nurse in the middle of the night. As if that weren't enough, now he had to deal with what was starting to become a 2fort soap opera.

"Listen Spy, I don't know why you're dragging me into your weird dramas here, but I would really like you to stop. So only one of the Scouts is into Nurse, or maybe even sheilas in general, what does that have to do with me?"

"I need your help. I need more information and it will become obvious if I continue on trying to get it myself. You have to talk to the girl for me."

"And what the hell am I supposed to tell her?"

"Just talk to her. Ask her how she is feeling. She spends a good amount of her time with Scout, she's our number one source. I need to know as much as I can, bushman!"

There was a pause where nobody said a word. Spy lost it a little bit there, during that last sentence. He usually kept his control very well, but lately he has been fidgeting and snapping at him every single time he called him over for another 'talk'.

"Why?" He challenged the Frenchman, smirking and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Why what?"

"Why do you need to know so bad? Why are you so obsessed with this? Have somethin' in mind, do ya'?" He teased, waggling his brows.

"I do not understand what you are implying and neither do I want to because I get the feeling I won't like it very much. I will have you know that it is just out of a combination of my curiosity and my boredom. Nothing more."

"Sooooo... you're not interested in the boy...? In that way..."

"And what if I was?"

"Would be kind of fucked up to see..."

"Who told you to look, bushman?"

**A/N. I have so many ideas for my next chapter, but they have absolutely nothing to so with each other XD. I'm going to have to find a way to mesh them all together, plus we get to see a little more of the other characters...maybe, if I manage to make any sense of it all. I've been getting such awesome and helpful reviews from you guys, so I hope they don't stop =) **


	8. Chapter 8

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 8- Into town

By, the Unlucky-Charm

**A/N. Hello my lovelies! It's after midnight and I haven't slept properly in the past few days thanks to my exams, but of course, inspiration always knows the best time to strike, so here I am, finishing this chapter for you all. This chapter doesn't have much action in it, but I think it's one of the more interesting one's I've written so far. Also, I guess it's kind of like a prep for the chapter to come, in which I am predicting a lot more action, violence, blood and all that badasserie.**

**So enjoy and do NOT forget to review because I swear, I live off of those things.**

In the morning, Sniper loitered around the infirmary. He was up early, as usual, but that didn't mean Nurse would be. He was fully dressed already, even had his hat on and had been pacing left and right in the narrow hallway. He didn't know what time it was but the sun hadn't risen a very long while ago.

"Hello...?" He heard a muffled voice through the door.

Sniper, a little lost, pushed the door open.

"Um... hello?"

Nurse sat Indian style on one of the white beds. She looked much better, compared to the last time Sniper saw her. Her lip had been stitched, but other than that and the one big stab, Spy's work had disappeared.

"Heh..." He chuckled. "Startin' to look like a real merc y'self."

Her fingers went up to her lip. A small smile spread across her face, very calm and very chaste.

"Why ya' up so early?" He asked and allowed himself to sit down beside her. She scooted over, but did that mean she needed space or was giving him room? This really was Spy's domain, reading people and all. Sniper wasn't even sure about what he was supposed to be talking to her about, let alone what her scooting over meant.

"I didn't really sleep at all."

Sniper nodded, but was actually scanning the room for any sort of... well anything he could find, really. He noticed the curtains were pulled over every window and the door to her bedroom bolted shut. He doubted she even went in there at all. She was scared and taking precaution, but that was normal after such scarring incidents. It could be seen in her mannerisms; the constant fidgeting and the way her eyes darted all over the room when she spoke, even if there was nothing there. Sniper knew how that was. When he first came here for the job, he was so damn paranoid during the first week, especially since they told him that the Spies can go invisible and morph into other people. He couldn't trust anybody, not that he could now, but ironically, the only guy he's ever come close to calling a friend WAS a Spy.

"Why are YOU up so early?" She asked.

"I'm always up this early. He grinned.

She smiled back at him, which was a good sign.

"Is there anything you need?" She asked.

"Nah... jus' here to talk."

"Oh."

There was a silence, and not one of those pleasant ones. Sniper felt as awkward as ever. It has been years since the last time he had properly spoken to a woman.

"Anything in particular?"

Yes, he wanted to say, my good mate the backstabber is bored and having goddamn realisations about himself all at the same bloody time. Oh and he unconsciously wants to bang your (probably) gay best friend, who just happens to also be our team's Scout. So I was sort of hoping you'd help out with that, but then again you are sort of scarred for life, depressed and (probably) the love interest of the enemy Scout.

Obviously, he didn't go with that one.

"Scout." He said plainly.

"Which one?"

He thought for a moment and grinned. "Both."

"I see... go ahead." She rotated her body towards him, repositioning her legs so that the right one was underneath the left one this time. She stared at him intently, like she was ready to listen to anything and everything he had to say. It made Sniper reconsider opening his mouth.

"Well ya' see, I couldn't help but notice that mongrel takin' a likin' to ya' . Always in yer room at night, ain't he?"

Nurse went red. Her eyes widened and then lowered completely. Her fingers fiddled with the uncut side of her lip as her fidgeting worsened. She was searching for words, but it was taking her a noticeable while.

"Yeah... we have a thing going, I guess." She said, but Sniper saw right through her. He was no Spy when it came to reading people, but Nurse wasn't one either when it came to lying. Question was, why was she? Clearly, to protect Scout, her friend. But from what? Them finding out the truth? What WAS the truth? Maybe Spy WAS on the right track...

"Why're you lyin' little lady?" He grinned like a wolf.

A little startled that he would call her bluff so fast, Nurse blushed and looked away again, avoiding eye contact. She really did suck at this.

"Because he's my friend, I sort of have to."

"Well there's not much point in doin' that, now is there? By lyin' to me, you kind of just gave it away, didn't ya'."

Nurse's sweet reddened expression fell. Her cut lip set in a straight line, she frowned. Her innocent gaze turned fierce and gave Sniper that eerie feeling that he was about to be attacked.

"What the hell is it you're here for exactly?" She asked and hot damn, she wasn't playing around anymore.

Sniper chuckled, amused by the daggers that were being shot at him by a pair of fine brown eyes. He never had a girl look at him like that before. It was a warning look, one that said 'don't fuck with me', but in a way, what was she going to do about it? Not much, especially since she's up against a trained assassin.

"Jus' wanna know what you two are up to all the time. You can't blame me for assumin' certain things when a young man is sneaking into a young lady's room at night."

She took a deep, calming breath and shut her eyes. Even so, it was obvious she was still mad. "If you must know," she said softly, "I'm teaching him French."

Sniper arched a brow. French? Now THAT was some interesting information right there.

"You mean... like Spy speaks?" He grinned widely, showing off all his teeth.

"I know what you're getting at Sniper, so get it out of your head." She warned him, jabbing a tiny finger into his chest. Her being angry at him was the equivalent of a kitten scolding him, especially since she never raised her voice and kept it on its usual soft tone.

"Alright, alright, didn't mean to ruffle ya' feathers." He pushed her finger away. "I jus' wanna talk, kid." He said and squeezed her cheeks together with his gloved hand, for the sole purpose of being condescending and pissing her off. He even wore his cocky grin, giving him an air of superiority. He enjoyed flashing that taunting smile, it pissed people off so much, Engineer calls it "that nasty grin o' yers."

She narrowed her eyes at him, didn't look too happy either.

"What about the other one." She asked, jerking her face out of his grasp.

Sniper considered telling her about the discussion the rest of the team had when she was resting, courtesy of Engie, but he believed in what was right and had certain values, unlike many of his teammates. If the Engineer's theories were true, Sniper believed that these... 'affections' are better left a secret, for many reasons: scandals, rumors, lies, unneeded drama... He was no dishonest man; he would not reveal the secret no matter how big of an enemy the RED Scout was to considered.

"He's gonna come back for that bat. Be careful."

Nurse looked away almost instantly. There it was again. She had something to hide and she probably even knew how she couldn't keep a straight face.

"I can handle him." She mumbled.

"Oh, so you think you're tough now, is that it?" Sniper leaned in as if he was telling her a secret. "That boy can kill you, all he needs is a reason." He paused and glimpsed at the Sandman by the bed. "And you've given one."

Her tiny fists cracked as she clenched them around the fabric of her sweats. Her mouth twisted into a horrible sneer followed by a low growl; something else he'd never seen a woman do. Her eyes were on him this time, shooting a new wave of daggers at him.

"I. Am. Terrified." She spat at him. "But NOT of him."

Sniper flinched.

"...the Spy."

Her jaw clenched as hard as her fists. Her eyes watered but she held back the tears with a vengeance. Gently, she nodded. She looked so fragile no matter how tense her body was. Sniper prepared himself for waterworks, a breakdown, anything, but it didn't happen. Nurse held herself together.

"Can I ask you something?" She whispered. Her voice, unlike her body, did not shake.

"Um... sure?"

"Do you people have any limits? Any goddamn ethics?"

Sniper sighed and rubbed at the bridge of his nose, bracing himself for the "value of human life" lecture that was bound to come. He already got enough of that crap from his mother, he didn't need to hear the exact same speech for the millionth time, coming from a girl half his age.

"No..." He rolled his eyes.

"Good."

Sniper arched a brow. "Good?"

"I won't feel so bad when I slice him up into a million pieces." She paused and blinked at Sniper's surprised expression. "I'm a doctor. I know where it hurts."

Sniper grinned wickedly. He was starting to like the way this girl thought. Vengeance was a daily thing at 2fort, but there was just something a bit more exhilarating about a little girl cutting up a snobby backstabber.

"Well," He patted her back. "I suppose we have ourselves a plan then."

It seemed to her like Sniper was actually excited about her plans of the Red Spy's destruction. He even smiled as if he was proud of her. Nurse wasn't. She was disappointed in herself for even thinking of revenge, but she felt like it had to be done. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right? Vengeance was like a policy here. She had seen it happen many times. The Sniper who shot the Spy got backstabbed the next day, like it was some kind of cycle.

"You know, they can't attack you on a day off." He reassured her. "I'm gettin' the feeling that you're gonna start nailin' planks on ya' windows if no one stops ya'." He scanned the side of the room where she had drawn curtains over the windows and had put all the wobbly stools that used to sit by the beds right underneath them (so that intruders would trip over them or something). It was a very primitive attempt at creating a trap, but it relaxed her enough to stop her from glancing behind her constantly.

"You're paranoid kid."

Nurse had hoped that Sniper would leave soon once their conversation about the Scouts had ended, but the man lingered still and showed no sign of going away. In a way, Nurse didn't mind having him here; she felt a tad bit safer and in another way, she wasn't really enjoying all the criticism either. If she was being paranoid, that was her problem.

"Gettin' outta here would do ya' some good actually..." Sniper trailed off, scratching the back of his head. Looking away, he hummed a soft "hmmm", clearly considering something.

"Like... escaping?" She asked.

"Nah, nah, there's a small town near here. Nice place, really. Forty five minute drive, though. Was gonna go there later today when everyone woke up."

"You have a car?"

"Yeah, a van. I live in it sometimes." He paused. "Anyway, Spy needs to run a few errands, so I'm taking him. You can come along if you like, it'd be a nice change in scenery."

"Does _everyone_ go?"

"Um, well yeah, 'cept for Pyro of course. That guy never leaves and we don't want him running around town terrorisin' people with his rubber suit and mask. Of course, it' d be fine if he took it off but –" Nurse crossed her arms over her chest and shot him an impatient look.

"You mean from the REDs, don't ya'..." He said, a little embarrassed for not having caught on.

She nodded.

"Listen sweetheart, we run into them every now and then, but I don't want that stopping you from going. They're not allowed to hurt you there and if you can't even handle laying eyes on 'em, then you got a serious problem."

Nurse still wasn't convinced. Even running into them would be bad and she could tell that Sniper knew that too. That message she left... she shouldn't have done that. It was all in the heat of the moment, the adrenaline of escape got to her and she wasn't even thinking straight. She was angry and ready to rip out some vital organs.

"Look. Them guys didn't think you were capable of nothin'. You escaped after being locked up and cut to pieces and let me tell you, that shut 'em up real good, including me." He paused and stared straight at her from underneath his glasses. He had dark circles underneath his brown eyes, framed with bags and thick eyelashes. Stunned by the hard look he was giving her, Nurse froze. "You can't stop there. You have to show them you don't give a damn about any of them. I know you're regretting some of the stuff you did, but don't. Live by them. Be proud of the message you wrote and don't let go of that bat you took. I know you might not like this, but you're stuck here and none of us feel like dealing with a girl." He grabbed both of her arms and held on tight. "Show them you're more than that."

His face softened a bit when she sat there just blinking at him for a while. She wasn't sure if she was being insulted or flattered. Sniper sensed her confusion and sighed, finally letting go of her.

"If you come, I'll buy you a bagel or something."

Bagel...? Really? Did a trained mercenary, a skilled assassin, roughened by the outback (or so he says) just offer her a bagel as what- some kind of bribe? There was, no doubt, something behind this. Although, she really wouldn't mind a bagel, that was besides the point. Inviting her was one thing, but now it just sounded like he _wanted_ her to come. If anything, that made her a little more uneasy about going. The whole idea didn't sound so bad. There were probably were some stores she could shop around in, but how weird would that be with Sniper and Spy being her only company.

"Ill think about it." She said and forced a smile. She couldn't show any signs of her suspicion.

The Australian nodded and left, gently shutting the door being him. The second she was alone, she made a dash for her closet, as if it were to disappear if she didn't get there fast enough. She entered her room for the first time since the incident. Somebody had made her bed, but other than that, the room was just as she had left it. She pulled open the doors and separated the two halves: uniforms and her own clothing. She needed to concentrate, but that was just another one of her weird quirks: she had to move to be able to think.

Pushing through hangers, a part of her brain tried to find something to wear while the other tried to understand Sniper's intentions. He and the Spy were going into town for some errands and she was invited. Why? Did Sniper really care about her well being so damn much? Nurse snorted to herself. Yeah right. He didn't care much when she was in the enemy base being tortured, but of course, now that her problems were psychological, something he really can't do much about, he decides to help. Highly unlikely. These men are selfish, there had to be some kind of gain for him or at least Spy.

Nurse's arms, moving around frantically a second ago, stopped dead. She abandoned the search for an outfit and began pacing. She was getting somewhere. She had the sudden feeling that there was no way that she was going to make this trip sitting alone in a van with only Sniper and Spy. She felt that maybe...just maybe, she wasn't the only one being visited this early in the morning. She definitely wasn't the only one invited...

Three very obvious realities crossed her mind, piecing themselves to the whole question itself.

First, Sniper and Spy are working together. Second, they were very much aware of the relationship between Scout and herself. And third, Sniper had an idea of Scout's secret and consequently, so did Spy.

Things were starting to make some sense. Without thinking twice, Nurse left her room with no time to lose, hoping she would get there before a certain somebody.

**BLU Scout P.O.V**

At first, I thought another one of those stupid birds had whammed themselves into my window again. They did that a lot. Pretty dumb of them too since my window wasn't even that clean. I was about to go back to sleep, because waking up early on day offs is just gay, but right when my head was about to land on the pillow I heard a soft "ow" coming from behind my door. Pissed as hell, I got up to punch whoever it was disturbing my day off beauty sleep, but it was Nurse, so I didn't.

"Did you jut slam yourself into my door?" I asked, not fully awoken yet.

She didn't answer me and instead ducked underneath my arm that was still holding the door and stepped in. I realised there was no way around this, so I just gave up and shut the door.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Was anyone here before me?" She asked, glancing around the room.

"No. You woke me up." I stumbled forward and plopped myself onto my bed. "Are you okay?" I asked, my voice coming out muffled.

"No." She said. "And neither are you. Sniper came over this morning and asked me to go into town with him."

"So?"

"And Spy."

The name itself told me why this yet-to- be-revealed problem of hers concerned me. Groaning with exaggeration, I hoisted myself up and sat at the edge of my bed. I didn't have a shirt on and my underwear was hanging dangerously low on my hips, but it was Nurse and she seemed distressed, so I didn't have anything to worry about.

"I'm listenin'."

"Scout. They know. At least they have an idea."

"What are ya-"

"You know what I'm talking about! Sniper knows and I think Spy told him. They have something planned."

I wasn't sure how to react. In a way, I wanted to tell her to calm down and that Sniper was probably just trying to be polite, but in another way, I was panicking. After the confrontation with Spy on that night, I can't be sure of anything. I definitely gave a lot away that one time and now Nurse was telling me that Sniper knew a bit of it too.

She told me their entire conversation and now her running straight into my door made a little more sense. Yup, panicking was definitely the right option right now.

"So, I should be expecting a visitor then." I said, glancing at my door as if the person in question was already there.

"Maybe... Scout?"

"Yes?"

"Did something happen with Spy that you haven't told me?" She paused. "Other than that time he caught you about to jack off."

"God! Why did you have to bring that up? It's not like it's a very happy memory, ya know? I hate how that guy can turn invisible. Fuckin' sneakin' around all over the place..."

"Scout. Answer."

"Yeah, yeah, the night you came back. He started screwin' with me again...got real close..." My breath hitched in my throat when I thought of that feeling. I got so pissed, I felt this red hot inside of me, burning up in every single way possible. I could have killed, if he wasn't who he was. I could have kissed him too, but I didn't for the exact same reasons.

I ended up telling her what happened and to my surprise, Nurse was seriously calm about it. The guy practically dismissed all the shit she went through, I felt a bit awkward telling her, but she didn't say anything until I was finished.

"He didn't mean it." She said, bluntly. "He was just testing you."

"Yeah, I figured that much."

"Okay, but you failed."

"Duh! Since I fucking melted right in front of him."

She paced all over the place in front of me. She was fidgeting, opening her mouth every now and then and shutting it, like she forgot what to say.

"Well." She sighed. "Now we know who would be the submissive one in the relationship." She said, which took me a little off guard.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Ha-ha, that's fucking hilarious." I threw my torso back and lay on the bed, my knees still bent over the edge. "Trust me, I knew that a long time ago."

She laughed. "Did you now?"

"Yup. It' all logic."

"Enlighten me." It was her turn to roll her eyes.

"Simple. You ask yourself: can you imagine the Spy writhing underneath the Scout, with teary, begging eyes as that same Scout fucks his brains out until he cries out? Answer: NO."

"I can."

"Well, I'm sure he doesn't share your opinion."

I made her laugh again, but this time it came for somewhere else in the room.

"Where ya' goin'?"

"I need to leave. Just in case you get a visitor. Sorry I woke you up."

"Yeah yeah, sorry my ass. Just close the door on your way out."

**Nurse P.O.V.**

The two stood outside the base, the sides of their arms pressed tightly together, bracing themselves for what was to come. Being so close made the both of them less nervous. Spy was smoking a few feet away, glancing their way every now and then. They were all waiting for Sniper to bring the van around so that they could get going. It was still early in the morning and some of the members weren't even up yet. Nurse ended up leaving a note for Medic, letting him know where she was going and with whom.

"I can't believe he caught you again." Nurse whispered to Scout.

"Shut your trap. It happens in the morning, a'ight?" He whispered back, furiously.

"Still hilarious." She mumbled.

"When you said visitor, I really didn't think HE'D be the one to come."

"Neither did I. Happy accident, I suppose?"

Scout snorted and glanced at Spy from the corner of his eyes. "He's so relaxed. I hate it. I bet he's goin' over his evil plan as we speak."

"Don't be so dramatic, he's not an evil villain from a freaking Disney movie." She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, this coming from the girl who oh so DRAMATICALLY plummeted into my door this morning." He snorted. "Oh and yes, he is."

Nurse was about to tell him the only reason why she ran into his door was because she wanted to get there before anyone else did, but a French accent cut in before her.

"What are you two whispering about?"

Scout spun around, frowning and blushing fiercely. "How your mom's never taught you how to knock when someone's door is closed! Mind your damn business." He called back, but Spy only kept his cool. The Frenchman smirked wickedly and chuckled. The man hadn't said a word, but Scout still turned back to her, defeated.

"Jeez Scout, stop flirting so much." She said sarcastically, nudging him in the ribs.

She giggled at the nasty look he gave her, but their quarrel didn't last longer since an army green camper van pulled up in front of them.

"You two. Backseat." The Australian who was driving told them through the open window, eyeing both of them. "Why are you dressed like a 3 year old?" He asked Nurse once he had a good look at what she was wearing.

Nurse was wearing light blue overalls that covered her chest and back and ended into a pair of short shorts that hung loose. The one piece outfit was one of her favourite's, but Sniper had just been a very good example of one of the problems it usually causes. People his age (no offense) don't really understand what's in style and even though Nurse has NEVER followed the trends, when she saw it in the store, she thought it was the cutest thing (and a little sexy as well, since it was so damn short and gave her the worst wedgies). Plus, it hid most of the chubbiness she had around her stomach. Funny thing was, her mother had said the exact same thing when she bought it, so she answered the same way.

"It's in style, okay? No judging."

"Looks real good and all, but I'm just saying." He shrugged and then dragged his gaze up to the top of her head. "And that thing," he pointed and stared from underneath his aviators "is not helping."

Nurse touched the big white ribbon in her hair with the tips of her fingers. "It's cute." She mumbled as she entered the van.

Everyone was dressed in regular clothes except for Spy who kept his uniform on. Scout was wearing a black V-neck with simple, navy blue basketball shorts. As for Sniper, Nurse tried not to snicker at the weird floral thing he had on.

As crummy as his car looked, the interior smelled surprisingly nice. Nurse was getting the feeling that he had soaked it with Febreze prior to picking them up. Probably why it took him so long to drive a van around a corner.

They took off, driving first on the sandy ground, then on some gravel and finally on a proper road. There was wind blowing from all the windows into the steaming hot inside of the van. It felt great on Nurse's face as she leaned forward and rested her head on her hands right next to the headrest of the driver's seat. The leather seat was scorching, but she didn't mind as long as there was cool air washing over her.

"Hey there." Sniper said, spotting her from the corner of his eye.

She smiled. "Hi."

"Comfortable, mate?"

She nodded and shut her eyes. When she opened them, they were in the middle of nowhere, driving in a straight line. Hell, Sniper wasn't even holding the steering wheel at this point. But what shocked Nurse the most was the fact that he didn't have his hat on. The greasy hair, bald spot and receding hairline that she was expecting, were not there at all.

"It's gonna be this same stretch of nothingness for a while now." Scout explained. "Prettier at night with all the stars, though. It's kind of..."

"Romantic?" Spy finished the sentence for him.

Scout went scarlet. "Uh- um, sure...if ya' want." His voice cracked.

Nurse wasn't sure if Scout could see, but the self-satisfied smirk on Spy's lips could be seen very clearly in the unadjusted rear-view mirror. He was playing dirty, just like a Spy should, but it made matters a little more personal when it was her friend he was playing with.

"I don't find them romantic at all, really." She said dreamily, staring out the window as if she didn't have a care in the world. She wondered if Spy could see right through her, but she went on anyway. "I think the idea of it had been overused and become a total cliché."

"Nah, stars are timeless, kid. I've spent my whole life laying underneath 'em and it never gets old."

"Well, yeah, but that's when you're alone. I'm just saying it's cheesy when a guy takes you out to stare at the stars, or the sunset and stuff like that."

Although this was her true opinion, she didn't feel comfortable sharing it with a car full of men. She was the only girl, so the mentalities were completely different. Besides, these particular men didn't really seem like the 'romantic' type.

"I feel sorry for the young man whose gonna try and woo ya' one day, kid." Sniper chuckled for a second and then stopped dead. From the corner of her eyes, Nurse saw Spy and Scout turn their heads to the window and Sniper suddenly concentrate on the road. Suspicious? Yes. Was she going to ask any questions? Why the hell bother anymore.

"I'm scared to ask." She mumbled loud enough for all of them to hear.

Spy chuckled at his male team members who were still avoiding her gaze. "Wise choice, my dear."

It could easily be THE cutest little town she had ever set eyes on. There were almost no other cars around or anything else that gave off any sort of modernity, the asphalted road being an exception. The whole place was like a scene taken straight out of a Western movie. There were no brand name stores or any bulky supermarkets in sight. As she stared down the main street, all she saw were hanging wooden signs that read things like "Baker", "Shoes" and of course, "Bob's Ammo", which was probably the reason why they came here in the first place.

"It's adorable." She mumbled.

And it was. Just the kind of small town you'd expect to be excluded by the rest of society, the habitants living in their own little bubble where everybody knew everybody. She contemplated for a second longer before her companions decided to get into an argument again. Nurse blocked them out, but it proved to be harder than it seemed.

"As much as I forget to knock before entering... apparently." Spy stepped out of the passenger seat. "You, lapin, need to learn how to lock doors. Or at least close them." He said, emphasizing his statement by the slamming shut of both his door and the one Scout had left open.

"And you, grenouille, should mind your own business."

Back home, a lot of her friends were French, so hearing it and speaking it was nothing uncommon to her. Which was probably why it took her and Spy a while and one good double take to realise WHAT exactly had just come out of Scout's mouth. The shock on both their faces did not go unseen, even though Spy merely raised his eyebrows while as Nurse's jaw almost dropped to the floor. Nevertheless, neither of them was expecting that.

She never really thought those lessons were paying off but here he was, proving her wrong with his flawless pronunciation of what was a pretty hard word to get the hang of. Of course, it took her fucking FOREVER to even get a simple introduction through his rock hard brain, but "grenouille" the idiot remembers.

"What did you call me?" He said, blowing the smoke out of his mouth. That kind of rhetorical question was usually used as a warning to the other person, but Nurse was getting the feeling that the question wasn't rhetorical at all. Could it be that Spy was genuinely taken aback by Scout's words? Maybe even a little?

Scout sent her a vulnerable look, desperate for an answer or any kind of rescue from the situation that he had gotten himself into. He slowly backed away from Spy, heading towards Nurse who, wasn't really sure about what to do.

"Um, hey, ain't that how they say 'frog'?" He whispered in a panic.

"Yeah..."

"You heard me!" He called back once he had his confirmation.

"You don't know what you are saying, boy." He snorted.

"I know damn well what I'm saying." He crossed his arms over his chest. "If you get to call me a rabbit, I don't see why I can't call you a frog."

Spy sneered at him, staring him down with all the contempt in the world before spinning around, grabbing Sniper by the arm and walking away, the bushman stumbling as he got dragged off.

"Uh – um, I'll... I'll buy you that bagel later, okay?" He told her and then was out of earshot, leaving Scout and Nurse standing alone.

Scout had his hands in his pockets and was staring at the ground, kicking every pebble large enough to be kicked by his large feet. "Told ya' he hated me." He mumbled to her.

"Well you sort of called him a frog..." She pointed out, but it didn't seem to get across.

"Eh." He shrugged, suddenly bouncing back to his usual self. "He was being annoying."

As easily as he brushed it off, Nurse could tell, all through the day, that it was weighing on him more than he would ever be willing to accept.

They were back in the van by sundown, driving in the opposite direction. Nurse sat in her respective spot, nibbling contently at the oversized bagel Sniper had actually ended up buying her, practically bathed in cream cheese.

"Any good?" He asked.

"Mmhmm." She nodded, allowing herself to smile because despite what happened in the morning, the day had gone smoothly. No REDs, no injuries, no chloroform, no nothing. Sniper had been right. She felt a lot more relaxed than before and maybe even ready to confront... let's call them her 'fears' just for sake of not naming them.

Eventually, the stars appeared as they drove and as much as she hated to admit, they weren't cheesy at all. In fact, Sniper ended up pulling over, just to get a better look at them.

"This is unnecessary, bushman. We can always look at them through the window."

"Yeah, you can. I need to concentrate on the road, though. Come on, it'll only take a second, mate."

Defeated, he walked away slowly, mumbling something along the lines of 'I've told you not to call me that'.

Scout ran out, Nurse following slowly after him. Underneath the dark sky, she craned her head to get a glimpse at as many of them as possible, which was hard to do because they were absolutely everywhere, shining so brightly that it was almost blinding. It was mesmerizing and a glance at Sniper told her he thought so too.

"Hey Nurse." Scout called her, a little less than a yard away.

Pushing away the hair the light breeze had blown into her face, Nurse narrowed her eyes, trying to see him through the darkness. He was standing with his finger pointed up to the sky and a huge cocky grin plastered on his face, his white teeth glowing in the dark.

"What?"

His smile grew wider. "Ciel." He said, oh so very proud of himself.

Nurse couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes, that's the sky."

"And what are the shiny little dots covering it, hm?"

Spy appeared from the side, slowly moving in between them, almost giving her a heart attack. Scout, however, seemed pretty used to it.

"Aw shit! Gimme a sec, I swear I know this!"

"Take your time..." His hands behind his back, the Frenchman made his way closer and closer to Scout, turning his backside to Nurse and in a way, excluding her from the conversation.

Nurse didn't say anything, but if she had to, she'd tell him she knew what he was doing. She didn't mind, though. Scout was her friend after all and this was probably making his whole goddamn day, so...yeah, she knew when to back off.

"Fuck, just tell me." He gave up.

"Étoiles. They are the stars."

Even in the dark and over the Frenchman's large shoulders, she could see Scout blushing his cute ass off. They made eye contact for a second, just as she was backing away, and Nurse was pretty sure that's when he got the idea of it too. Pressing his nervous lips together, Scout sent her one last signal, an understanding nod, before she turned away for good.

"I know night is 'nuit', though." His voice drifted off.

"Very good lapin..."

Nurse found Sniper sitting on the ground, his head tilted backwards completely. She wanted to comment on how bad that was for his back, but she figured he was enjoying himself too much to care.

"I see were making progress." He said, not even bothering to tear his gaze from the sky.

"I guess so..." She paused and remembered him being dragged off by Spy earlier in town. "This your idea?" She asked.

"Nah. I gave him a small push, but it's all his."

"I see..." She wasn't sure if it would be wise to continue the way her train of thought was heading, but she thought hey, what the hell. Everything seems to already be out in the open... "He likes Scout?"

"You know... I have no idea. I can't really read the bloke." He sighed.

She let out a soft chuckle and sat down next to him. "He's a Spy, I don't think you're supposed to be able to, anyway."

"Hmmm." He hummed dreamily and Nurse knew she had lost al of his attention.

They didn't sit there for long though, because minutes later, Scout appeared with the silhouette of Spy in tow.

"Hey Snipes!" He grimaced, his tongue sticking out at the corner of his mouth, as if trying to remember something. "C'est tard...?"

"What'd you call me?" He asked, finally shifting his eyes away from the sky.

Nurse sighed and got up, pulling the bushman up with her. "He said it's late...and he's right. We should get going."

Nurse yawned as she followed Sniper back to the van. From behind her, she could hear their conversation.

"Did I say that right?" Scout asked, a certain bashfulness in his tone that Nurse had never heard before.

"I should think so, non?"

Oh yeah, definite progress.

When they made it to the base, it was pitch black outside. Nurse wasn't even sure how they made it inside without tripping over God knows what, but that didn't matter. The important thing was that this day had been a success and that now, she was laying in her bed, ready to fall asleep and hopefully never wake up. Yes, she was that exhausted. Her body was going numb and her eyes were slowly shutting by themselves...

BAM.

A loud, echoing crashing noise coming from the infirmary next door made Nurse sit up in a start. She waited in silence, her hands clutching her sheets shaking and her heart beating against her ribcage. She heard a soft rustling and then another, but lower, crashing noise. Whoever it was (she had a good idea who) was coming in through the window and probably ended up tripping over her unstable stools. If she weren't so scared, she'd be proud that her pathetic trap had worked.

Nurse sprung out of bed and crept toward her bedroom door. Once she had her hand on the knob, she twisted it slowly and hesitantly, not sure if she wanted to deal with who or what was behind it.

The door creaked open, letting the light of her bedroom seep into the dark infirmary. The ray of light released through the door shone upon it's adjacent wall where stood, as expected, the RED Scout.

He was wearing his uniform, but didn't have his hat or headset on. He was leaning against the wall by the window he came through, sneering at her cockily with his arms crossed over his chest, probably thinking about how he's so damn smooth. If her breath hadn't hitched in her throat, she would have definitely told him how he had the stealth of a rampaging ostrich.

"Hey there darlin'," he said bitterly. "I believe you have something of mine."


	9. Chapter 9

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 9- Visitors

By, the Unlucky-Charm

_"Hey there darlin'," he said bitterly. "I believe you have something of mine."_

An unpleasant chill ran through her spine, something only the Spy's words could have triggered until now. The boy didn't sound like himself. His boisterous tone and his nonchalant charm, which usually reassured her of his harmlessness, had disappeared and, in consequence, revealed a much more threatening version of him.

Even so, Nurse did not fear him. Feeling scared and feeling threatened are two different things and she was only sensible of the latter. She took a cautious step back, not letting her guard down and keeping all eyes on him. From the corner of her field of vision, she saw the chair he had toppled over when entering, at least the paranoia had one positive side. She couldn't imagine how horrible it would be if he had actually managed to sneak up on her. Her brain wouldn't be able to take that emotionally straining shock.

She tried to push away the exhaustion taking hold of her body and made herself stand straight, giving her an air of fearlessness, even though it was nothing but a mask. She crossed her arms over her chest and jerked her chin in the direction of the night stand on which the bat was leaning.

She watched him sprint towards it, despite the short distance and grab it. He weighed the weapon in his palm, passing it from one hand to another until he was certain that it was, in fact, his bat. She hoped that this marked the end of the meeting and that Scout would let himself out peacefully, but he did not budge. Quite the contrary; he just stood there staring at her, a slight frown on his face.

"Come to finish the job?" She spat coldly, crossing her arms over her chest and turning to walk away.

She had only taken two steps when she was forced to come to a stop. She hadn't even heard him coming and now his fingers were wrapped around her upper arm, squeezing way too hard at the bandaging.

Nurse had no choice but to stop. She felt like her arm was going to get ripped off if she took another step. Her eyes shut closed extremely tightly and her teeth clenched together, scraping against one another. Even with the bandaging, his grip hurt like hell. The pain made her think of so many different scenarios. What if the bone breaks? What if it starts bleeding again? What if the wound tore open?

She spun around to face him, her hand involuntarily jutting out and taking hold of his wrist. She tried to shake him off, pushing hard at his hand. He wouldn't budge and instead held on stronger, spinning her around so that they were facing each other. She wasn't sure what it was but a flash of worry crossed his face when their eyes finally met. She wasn't sure why he looked shocked, but maybe it was her tear soaked eyes or the blood seeping through the gauze or even the soft whimpering that managed to escape between her teeth.

"Shit." He cursed, quickly removing his hands. "That's still..." He trailed off.

She backed up and hit the counter, giving him the dirtiest look she could muster. Her arm still stung and she could feel that the gauze had loosened. She struggled with her other hand, trying to salvage as much of the bandaging as possible, but it was already too late for it. She would have to change it later.

"What, Medic got lazy?" He mocked, jerking his chin at her arm. At this point, the idiot was TRYING to be obnoxious and annoying, but his expression was faltering slowly, like a broken TV going back and forth between static and the normal picture.

"He said it was too late for it." She stated, finally leaving her wound alone.

"So...it's gonna stay like that." He said, but it sounded more like a question. The boy seemed a bit confused as to what she was saying.

"It will heal on its own eventually." She paused and sneered. "It was left unattended for too long."

It was like she had accidentally used the self destruct code on an android because something in Scout definitely snapped just then. He bared his teeth at her, his brows falling over his eyes in an intense frown that darkened his face completely. A low growl escaped from the back of his throat, animal like and very much like the Scout she sees running around bashing heads in during a battle. Now matter how much she portrayed him as 'just a boy', he is a monster. It's his job to be.

"Don't give me that fucking look." He said, taking a step closer with each word until their chests were almost pressed together. "I let you out. I opened that fucking door for you and even fucking offered to show you the way out!" He jabbed his finger into her chest. "And even when, in your little fucked up brain, you decided that you didn't WANT to escape, I left that door open for ya'. It's not my goddamn fault you were stupid enough not to take that opportunity." Scout spat. Nurse would never admit it, but that stung a bit. However, she would not let it get to her.

"Excuse me?" She slapped his hand away. It was HER turn to be angry. "You're the goddamn reason I was kidnapped in the first place! YOU were spying on me and YOU told them where I was and who I am and how to get to me. It's all YOUR fault, in case you hadn't noticed. So I'm SORRY, I hurt your fucking feelings when I decided not to TRUST the one person who got me locked up in the first place!"

He watched her for a moment, his bright blue eyes searching her face, but still clearly angry. His lips parted for a second, only to end up beneath his teeth. Was he holding back? Or did he have nothing left to say? She couldn't read him with his gaze stuck to her like that.

"That's bullshit and you know it." He hissed, something she wasn't expecting. She thought she had gotten him just then, but apparently not. There was no shutting this guy up.

"How dare you!" She slammed her hand hard onto his chest. He didn't even fumble, leaving her hand lying flat over his shirt. "I was hurt! Traumatized! And you wanted me to FOLLOW you?"

"Oh my God, are you serious?" He chuckled sarcastically. "I wasn't even the one who DID those things to ya'! Yeah, I'm fucking sorry for being a complete blabbermouth, but I did NOT cut you up nor did I want to." He paused and smirked down cockily at her small form, as if he had already won the argument.

"Point is darlin', you ain't scared o' me." His smirk turning into a grin, his arms spread out next to him, he lowered his head down to look at her tiny hand, still in place on his chest. "I'm a RED. Holdin' a bat. Standing right in front of ya'."

He leaned in, his eyes straight on hers, and stuck their foreheads together.

"But I don't hear ya' screamin'." He whispered in husky tone.

His hot breath spread across her face, sending chills through her entire body. He was so close. He had been before, but now he was even closer. Their bodies had never made contact like this and it was affecting Nurse's breathing. She could smell him and she could feel the heat emanating from him and she could hear his breathing and she could see every single blue spec that formed his iris.

Nurse arched her back over the counter she was currently leaning on, in a desperate attempt to create distance between them. She found herself doing that a lot when this Scout was around. It seemed he always insisted on trying to be intimidating by towering over her the way he did. Maybe he's insecure about being the smallest of his team or enjoyed showing off, it didn't matter because it wasn't working. She would not be pushed around so easily.

"You ain't scared o' me." He read her mind, she was sure. "You said it before and it hasn't changed. You're still lookin' straight at me like you some kind of badass, so what's your deal? If you're not scared, 'cause you obviously ain't, what's your deal?"

"I don't have a 'deal'." She quickly said, slipping away from him sideways. His closeness was starting to get to her head. It was very… distracting.

His eyes followed her as she marched over to the center of the room. "But I will ask you this, since you think you've got me so figured out." She cleared her throat, for the soul purpose of making this moment as dramatic as possible. "Let's say I DID follow you out when you opened the door –"

"Yeah but you hugged me first." A humongous grin spread across his face, making Nurse blush and aggravating her all the more.

"I thought you were the BLU –whatever! The point is that, if I followed you and we came across, oh I don't know, your Spy, what the hell would you do then, hm?"

"Tell him to fuck off."

"Be realistic." She rolled her eyes.

"Fine, fine, I don't know, okay? But that would never happen 'cause the guy was eating. I checked."

"Alright, fine, not the Spy, but what about the Heavy?" He was starting to play with her patience again.

"Oh, he was eating for SURE!"

He was irritating her. Nurse felt her left eye twitch and decided that if she didn't take a deep breath at that second, she would end up trying to sedate him. She imagined herself pinning him down and stabbing needles into him; it made her smile.

"Okay, you know what? I'm tired of this and I want to sleep." That was a lie, she never slept anymore. "So Scout, I'm going to be the adult here and say sorry for not having trusted you, even if it meant risking yours and my own safety."

"Uh, they're MY team." He scoffed.

"Yeah? And they wouldn't care if you helped their prisoner escape? Did you think of THAT before deciding to let me out." Nurse wanted to stop at the question, but that last sentence just let itself out. She didn't like it. It sparked new questions into her already occupied brain, most of them starting with 'why'.

"Okay I didn't think, but to be honest , I AM a man of action." He attempted in self-flattery, but failed because Nurse only raised a bored brow in response.

"Are you now?" She openly challenged him.

"Yup, totally…action-y."

"Mmmhmm?"

"Yes. I just thought 'I'm gonna save Nurse' and I did it baby!" He whooped.

"Why?" She dropped the bomb. She didn't want to go there. She really didn't. The question was always there, since the beginning, but she never had the guts to venture into it, scared of what the answer could possibly be. Now, she just needed to, she… felt it necessary.

"Why what?" He blinked at her, but he knew damn well what she was talking about. He just didn't have an answer.

"Why did you let me out. Or try to, at least."

"Uuuh…" His leg began to fidget and his eyes, glued to her all this time, finally fell away. He had nothing. She finally got him, trapped him into a corner and he couldn't escape, at least not without a proper answer.

As glad as she was that she finally shut him up, she was genuinely curious as to what kind of comeback she would be getting. She was anxious, still not sure if she would want to hear it. What if it WAS something truly horrible? Then again, the possibilities are pretty limited if you think about it…

"Listen, Nurse…" His voice softened, a noticeable change that took Nurse by surprise. This was yet another side of Scout, she believed. "It's kinda hard to –"

A loud shattering sound coming from the infirmary door cut him off, drawing in their full attention. Nurse held her breath, bracing herself for what was to come next. But this was her base, so why was she scared? One look at her 'companion's' shirt put some sense into her.

"Scout." She hissed, giving him a look that practically shouted at him to get the hell out.

There was a loud thud and another crashing metallic sound. Nurse turned to Scout, ready to push him out the window if she had to, only to see that he had grabbed onto her wrist at some point in all the confusion. Tightly too. She tried to pull away, but he had an iron grip. Another thud came for the door and suddenly she was jerked backwards and pulled behind Scout. His other arm spread out by his side, blocking her completely from whatever it was behind the door, Scout didn't seem to realise that this wasn't his base and that he didn't really need to…

"Why are you protecting me?" She asked bluntly, but all she got was a quick, worried glance backwards and then, the door was slammed open.

A large silhouette stood at the threshold. No light was needed for him to be identified, seeing as there was only one man that big in the base. The Russian accent helped too, of course. Even so, Scout did not budge.

"Doktor says he does not want Scout pulling Romeo in the middle of night." He paused, cracking his knuckles. "I do not know what that means, but RED Scout better leave now." Heavy growled out the words so loudly, Nurse was surprised no one else woke up. By the looks of it, the man was ready to charge at Scout if he didn't get moving.

In the blink of an eye, Nurse witnessed Scout dart to the window and sneak out the way he had come, only this time, with his bat.

"Is Nurse okay?" Heavy asked.

"Oh…yes, he… he just came to get his bat I guess."

"Hm…" The man didn't seem too sure of her answer, but left with no further question, closing the door behind him. That's when Nurse noticed the doorknob and broken bolts on the floor, consisting the lock on her door only seconds ago.

Oh, so that's what had shattered…

/

**RED Scout P.O.V.**

Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Those words rang and repeated themselves through his mind as he ran back to his base through the dissipating darkness. Morning was creeping in already. He had lost track of time back there, but it wasn't like it was his fault. She wasn't supposed to wake up and ruin his plan of 'get in, grab it and get out'. That Heavy hadn't helped either. What the hell was that blockhead talking about anyway? Clearly, he didn't know either since all he was doing was quoting their Medic. So what the hell was that quack talking about then? The thoughts in Scout's head were fucked up enough lately, he didn't need those weirdoes giving him more to think about. But that Nurse... SHE was the real problem here. Again, his brain was too screwed up to figure out why that was, but he knew she was the source of it. Maybe he should ask the Medic about it. Maybe there's a pill he can take or something...

'Why are you protecting me.' Her voice still echoed in his ears.

Why indeed...

He finally made it and walked in like he owned the place. Well, like he owned it very quietly because he couldn't afford to wake anyone up at this point. They were already suspicious of him being responsible for the chick's escape, he didn't need that being confirmed. He tiptoed inside, gently closing the door behind him. He's a mercenary after all, but so were the others. He knew all along that he was standing there and had prepared his cocky smile in advance before turning around.

"What the hell you doin' up so early Aussie?" He asked, turning around to show off that arrogant grin.

"Could ask ya' the same thing, kid."

The Australian man was leaning against one of the walls of the hallway, his hat falling over his eyes. His arms were crossed over his chest and an amused smile played on his lips. The bastard was probably so fucking happy he caught him. The suspicions were on him too, so this would play in his favor if he decided to share it with the rest of the team.

"Well look at what daddy brought home then." He said, proudly waving his bat in the Sniper's face.

"So ya' went to see her then."

"No. Are you an idiot? I got my bat back." He argued, trying to hide how taken aback he was by what the man was implying. That is, IF that was what he was implying... This shit was getting complicated again.

"Well, did ya' see her at least?" The man chuckled. He was having his fun, it was plain to see.

"Yeah, so? I just told her not to touch my stuff, alright? That's it. I don't know what the fuck you're tryin' to say here, but I am NOT pulling a Romeo, whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean!" The Scout raised his voice, his arms flailing around all over the place in his frustration. The Sniper didn't really understand what the hell the boy was talking about, but he decided to just let that one pass.

"Ya' hurt her, didn't ya'?"

"Wha –"

"Your hand's a bit bloody there..." He jerked his chin forward.

Scout stared down at his hand and, just like the Australian had pointed out, there was blood on it. It took him some time to realise where it had come from exactly. It was from that wound of hers. He hadn't seen the bandaging... he really must have hurt her.

"I grabbed her arm, so what? I wasn't really paying attention to her arm."

"What about it?"

"That cut Spy gave her is still there. Like apparently it was left too long and her Medic couldn't heal it properly so when I grabbed it, it started bleeding again and –you know what? Mind your own fucking business!" Scout stopped himself before he made himself look like an even bigger fool. He just practically TOLD him he was lying about what had happened back there.

Sniper was downright laughing at him at this point. He had totally messed up and gone off track there. Embarrassed and angry at himself, he stormed off to his room, Sniper's chuckles still audible behind him.

"Way to pull a Romeo, mate." He called after him.

Scout ran to his room, shut himself in and went to bed, hardly getting any sleep at all. He couldn't get her voice to leave his mind, just talking about anything and everything, bits and pieces of conversations they have had. 'You're a RED, aren't we enemies?'... 'Could you leave please?'...'He won't hurt me'... 'You could kill me if you wanted'... 'You're the enemy'... 'I'm not coming with you'... 'Come to finish the job?'... 'Why are you protecting me?'...

/

**Nurse P.O.V.**

She was surprised not to have received a wake up call in the morning, but she figured Soldier gave everyone a break on off days. She took her time getting ready, stalling as much as she could so she wouldn't have to face anyone just yet. Nurse tried to distract herself from the memories of last night (technically it was earlier in the morning), hoping also that Heavy was doing the same.

Eventually, when she couldn't ignore her stomach's complaints anymore, she dragged herself down to breakfast where, as expected, all the mercenaries were. She told herself not to make eye contact with anyone and simply go straight to Scout. After all, maybe she was overreacting. Maybe Heavy hadn't even told anyone. She'd be EXTREMELY thankful if that were the case.

She soon found out that it is very hard not to make eye contact when a whole room had its eyes on you. She could even feel Pyro's gaze boring into her from behind that mask. Nurse blushed, staring at the ground seeing as nowhere else was safe to look.

"Good morning." A lot of them chanted in unison, some smiling and some trying hard not to.

"Good morning." She mumbled and headed straight for the food, the teasing gazes following her every step of the way.

Nurse felt a furious blush appear on her cheeks as she stacked some toast onto her plate. She didn't want to turn around and face her team and wondered if she could just remain where she was and eat her breakfast standing up with her back turned to them.

"Hey Nurse! Could ya' bring some of that jam with ya'?" Scout called from across the room.

Okay, definitely not an option.

She sucked in some air and walked back to her table as fast as possible, dodging every suggestive look she got like they were bullets. She felt a flood of relief when she finally reached her own table, but still felt their eyes on her back like a series of flying daggers. So much for trusting Heavy then.

"He told everyone, didn't he?" She asked the obvious, sitting down right across Scout.

"Doktor, how did you know RED Scout would pull Romeo?" Scout roughly impersonated the large Russian man.

"I see." Nurse chuckled. "About that. What IS this Romeo business?"

"Uuuh..." Scout swirled his scrambled eggs around in his plate with his fork for a while before answering her. "'Cause I think, um, Medic was sure he was gonna come and get his bat and told everyone to be careful so he wouldn't hurt you and shit, ya know?"

"No, no I don't. What does that have to do with him, and I quote, 'pulling a Romeo'?"

"I dunno man! Didn't that fag yell at her window at some point? I guess that's what he meant." Scout got all defensive all of a sudden and went back to playing with his food.

"But he didn't –"

"You are missing the point, petit lapin. Don't you think?" The Spy said, appearing out of nowhere as usual and scaring the shit out of both Nurse and Scout.

"Jesus man, you have GOT to stop doing that!" He paused and blushed, going back to scrambling his already scrambled eggs. "And don't call me that." He added in a mumble.

Spy smirked at the boy for a second and then turned his attention back to the girl.

"We were told he was holding your hand when the Heavy walked in, is that right?" He asked, his tone as suave as ever.

"No. He wasn't." Nurse said dryly. "He grabbed onto my wrist and pulled me behind him when Heavy decided that knocking was too mainstream and breaking the lock was a far better way to get in."

"I see..." He snuck a glance at the Scout who, since he was already staring at him this whole time, tore his gaze away as fast as possible. "Il te protegeait alors?" He continued in French.

"Well, that's what it looked like. I even asked him."

"And?"

"Nothing. He just looked at me all weird. Then, Heavy came in and he was off." She stopped to think if maybe she should tell him about the conversation they had, but decided against it. "I think he just came to get his bat and wasn't expecting me to wake up."

"Hmmm, perhaps." The Frenchman didn't seem too convinced nor very interested in Nurse anymore. His gaze had fallen back to the boy still eating his breakfast as messily as possible. "Tell me lapin, would you protect Nurse like that as well."

"Damn right, I would." He said with his mouth full. "I just don't get why he did it if it was our own Heavy he was keepin' her from. If I were him, I'd save my own skin."

"Yes. For once, I share your same opinion. This Scout of theirs... he is very peculiar. Unlike you, lapin." He cooed. "You are very easy to read."

Nurse turned to see Scout staring up helplessly at his crush with huge cow eyes and his cheeks inflated with food. In one large gulped, he swallowed the whole thing. It was a wonder he didn't choke.

"Impressionnant." Nurse heard from behind her, but when she turned around, the Frenchman was already walking away.

She turned back (her head was starting to spin from all this violent turning) to see her Scout blushing up to his ears, glancing back and forth around the room frantically to make sure no one else heard that last comment. When he was certain that nobody gave a damn, he turned back to her and slammed his hands onto the table, making the utensils clink against each other.

"Did you hear that! Did you SEE that?" He whispered violently, his breath coming out short. His whole body was quivering, making the table shake along with it. Scout suddenly became extremely fidgety, grabbing at his clothes, his cap and even his hair. "Impressionant. That means impressive don't it?" He panicked. She could hear his knee hitting the underside of the table as it bobbed up and down.

"Yes... So... your swallowing skills are...impressive? I wonder what that means..." She said sarcastically, resting her chin in both her palms and batting her eyelashes at him innocently.

"Shut up, okay? Just shut... oh God, Nurse you didn't see! He WINKED at me! Like this!" He was whispering like a mad man again and his demonstration was absolutely hilarious. She doubted their smooth Spy had done it so awkwardly. Nurse couldn't help but laugh out loud at how distressed her friend was.

"He's just flirting Scout, calm the hell down."

"No way man, he's messin' with my mind is what he's doin'."

"Ugh, no he's not. He probably even likes you. You can be so blind sometimes."

Scout gave her a disbelieving look. "Right, I'm the blind one."

/

/

**RED**

"Calm down Herr Spy. You von't figure anything out if you don't rest."

The RED Medic found him in the cell again, pacing the perimeter, his gloved hand gliding over the cold stone walls, stopping only when he reached the bloody message left behind by their last prisoner.

"It doesn't make any sense." He mumbled, which was the only reply Medic got when he confronted the Frenchman about his restlessness. He hadn't left the room since they found it empty with a dripping mess of words on the wall, discarded clothing and bandages hanging off of the locks on the door. Spy had been the first to lay eyes on the place and forbade anyone to touch what he called 'evidence'. Medic wished he would at least let him clean that wall, it was starting to really creep him out now that the blood was drying and taking on a more coppery tone.

"I don't understand vhy you are dwelling on this. So she escaped, so what? Maybe somebody just let her out." It was the same song and dance every time Medic decided to try and slap some sense into the man.

"Yes, but...no, that doesn't WORK DAMN IT!" He yelled slamming the side of his fist against the wall. The man was breathing hard, sweat forming at the side of his mask. Medic was starting to get worried. The Spy was clearly losing it and his frustration was slowly turning into red hot fury. If he got his hands on that girl again, Medic was sure the damage done that time would be far worse... too gruesome to even think about, even for him. It was all in the man's mind, after all. He could not accept the fact that he just got beat by a little girl at the simplest of games. On top of it all, that message... oh yes, that message she had left caused half the trouble. If the Spy didn't already want to kill her, that message just made him want to do it much more slowly.

"And vhy doesn't it?" The doctor humored him.

"Because!" He yelled and then paused to lower his voice to a sinister hiss. "She used a very simple technique. She blocked the holes in which the latches of the locks were supposed to fall with the bandaging YOU gave her." He said, his tone very accusing.

"BUT!" He lifted a finger in the air. "You are a very smart man, mon ami. And our Sniper isn't dumb enough to make such an idiotic mistake like FORGETTING to shut the damn door! So the question remains, HOW did she do it?"

"Vell, maybe someone else..."

"Non! I went in there first, had my fun with her and then left. Then, you and the bushman opened the door to give her the gauze, but you did not penetrate the cell and if I trust what you have told me, you did not take your eyes off of her or as I said before, forget to close the door securely." He explained, but it seemed more like he was talking to himself than to Medic. "So, we are back to square one, HOW did she manage to get that gauze on the lock!"

"Herr Spy please! Can't we just assume that someone felt bad for her because she is simply a young girl and let her out?"

"Then why would she use the gauze!" Spy yelled. "Why not just walk out of there a free man if someone was actually stupid enough to let her escape that easily! This is what was supposed to have happened: someone opened that door again after you and Sniper, got distracted long enough for her to stick the bandaging and then shut the door without realising. The door doesn't lock and at night, when we are sleeping, she gets out. THAT is the only possible scenario, so for the millionth time: HOW!"

"Don't you see, Herr Spy?" Medic decided to try a new approach. "She is playing with your head. This is what she WANTS you to think. It's all part of her plan. The person just let her out, she put the gauze in to confuse you and now she is winning. Did you think of that?" Medic was taking a very risky shot in the dark, but he was becoming very desperate at this point.

A moment of silence passed and for a moment, just for a small moment, Medic truly believed he had gotten through to him. But then.. then came that laugh. A low, guttural chuckle came from the Frenchman, almost like a growl of an animal who has cornered its prey.

"Do you think I am a fool, doctor? Do you not think that I already KNOW who let her out? Of COURSE I DO!" His shout echoed and bounced off the walls of the cell. "That Scout did it, in case you hadn't figured it out yourself, but he is of little interest to me. Sure, I know he opened the door but what. Happened. Next? Hm? THAT is what I'd like to know because she did NOT just walk out! That Scout is not smart enough to devise such a plan, but HER? Maybe..."

Okay, so Spy was definitely starting to creep the hell out of him and that was saying something since it was usually the other way around.

"Yes, mon ami, she had planned this all along. And you know what proves it?"

"What." Medic really didn't give a damn at this point.

"That message on that wall." He pointed a white clad finger to it, almost invisible under the dim light of the chamber.

"And how come?" He knew he was going to regret it but he had listened to him this far, so might as well see the fruit of his deductions .

"No little girl, alone, scared, bleeding to death, maybe even on the verge of insanity could have been able to bring herself to dip her tiny finger into her own blood and think of such a thing to write. She must have had time, time to recuperate, to think, at least! If an open door presented itself to her, by the Scout of all people, why didn't she take it!"

This time, Medic was almost certain that the Spy was no longer aware of his presence. He had turned his back to him and had begun to mumble things, hypothesises, ideas, possibilities...anything, really. With a sign, the German turned and left, leaving Spy alone in the cell again.

"Game over." The Frenchman read. "Oh no my dear, that is not for you to decide."

**/**

**A/N: Oh my Lord it's chapter 9! I feel like this chapter is more of a filler. It's just that I got this really good idea halfway through the chapter, but didn't want to cut it in half so I decided to keep it for chapter 10, for which I have HUGE plans! Yey! **

**Please read and review, it fuels me.**


	10. Chapter 10

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 10- Cover me

By, the Unlucky-Charm

**A/N: This chapter is one of my favourites so far! I kind of just love it! I had a lot of fun writing it and I HOPE everyone enjoys. Any questions? Do not hesitate to ask. Suggestions? I'd love to hear them. Reviews? Don't be shy, trust me, DON'T BE.**

**BLU Scout**

The room was small and packed with heavily breathing men, restlessly waiting for the two remaining minutes to pass and for the doors to unlock, signaling the start of a new battle. Amongst those nine men, was a new addition, increasing the group count to a rounded number, ten.

He watched that same addition intently, thinking about how comical she looked with that oversized medical gun latched tightly onto her back. It looked heavy and her tense posture said it all. She struggled to hold it up and Scout wondered how she planned on running with it hanging off her shoulders. It was obvious the weapon was a hindrance to her free movement, but despite that, she still made the effort to try to listen to the quick, last minute pep talk Soldier seemed to be giving her. Scout tried to listen in, but it turned out to be just the basics about where the sentries were usually placed, how to tell if a team member is actually a Spy and most importantly how to 'show no pity!', but Scout felt that Nurse wouldn't have time to worry about that last one. If what Engineer had deduced at that last meeting was right, at least four of the other team members would be aiming for her. That sucked seeing as she already seemed nervous as it is, but he had been too before his first battle.

"Oh God..." He mumbled to himself, remembering the first time he had respawned. It was a disgusting feeling: a splitting headache, cramps all over and the worst nausea anyone could ever have. It was overall a horrible experience that slowly diminished the more he died, but a bit too slowly in his opinion.

"Hey Doc," He called to Medic who stood only a few feet away from him. Scout held back a gasp when he noticed the Spy standing right next to him. "ya' think she's ready?"

'Mission begins in 10 seconds'

"Hm, yes, she vill be fine." The doctor nodded.

"First time respawning, eh? Should be fun for her." He chuckled sarcastically.

Medic smirked and arched a thick black eyebrow. For a second, he stared at Scout with a mix of pity and derision, before he too, laughed softly.

'5'

"Oh scout..." He said in between sinister chuckles.

'4'

"I'm afraid she vill not have to worry about that."

'3'

Scout's reaction time was slow, but it took his brain quite some time to process and actually come to understand and accept what the man had meant. By the time he did though...

'2'

'1'

The sirens rang and the men ran right past him, but Scout was frozen in place. He turned to yell, stop her, anything, but she was gone like the rest of them. He had to go after her, he had to find her because, unless the Medic was playing with him, Nurse was on her way straight to a suicide mission. He cocked his head backwards, trying to see as far as possible but there was no sign of her. Goddamnit! How fast can she possibly go with that thing strapped to her!

"Ahem." He heard from behind him. In his slightly disoriented state, he almost fell over himself while turning around. The Spy had apparently lingered a while longer for some reason.

"I will not say a word." He simply told him and disappeared into thin air.

Right. The man was right. He had to save her, no matter how pissed she would end up getting because Nurse is anything but a damsel in distress, he still had to do it. 'I just have to run' he told himself. He had to run as fast as he could, it was the only way. All he had to do was get past the REDs. He had done so before for a stupid box full of papers, so he could definitely do it again, especially with Nurse's life at stake.

He took a deep breath and braced himself for the wave of bullets that may or may not hit him. After all, he had one shot to get it right. After that, even if he did respawn, Scout had a sickening gut feeling that Nurse would not last that long.

He ran, but no one could even consider that 'running' anymore. It was like he was bolting through the air, faster than the bullets themselves. He felt like a blur travelling across the battlefield, untouchable and weightless. His ankles burned, but it felt amazing once he got used to the feeling. Despite his great speed, Scout's mind was having trouble keeping up with his legs. On one side, he had to find Nurse as fast as possible and on the other, he had to make sure he wouldn't get shot. But see... that's the weird thing.

There were none.

Shots, that is. Barely any, maybe some in the distance, but no sentries and not even a Sniper. Nothing. Sure, a few REDs charged at him, but they never even came close enough to attack. That huge Heavy got shot before he could even pull the trigger to his mini gun. As much as it didn't make any sense, Scout ignored it. Sure, this was too easy, making him very suspicious, but he had no time to inquire any further. He had a chick to save. Problem was, she could be absolutely anywhere. She could be up on Snipe's perch, healing him, or running after a Soldier, or a Demoman, or even an invisible Spy inside the enemy base. The possibilities were endless! He wasn't even sure where to start!

He was about to just give in to the panic and yell out her name frantically in hopes of an answer when he saw something; a red silhouette, flying around all over the place, almost as fast as him. It gave him an idea, a very desperate one, but an idea nonetheless.

"GAAAAAAHHH!" He heard from behind him. He turned around just in time to see the RED Soldier headed straight for him, only to get shot straight through the chest, seconds before he fired his weapon. That bullet had come from low ground, definitely not Sniper's work.

As if to answer to his questions, Spy materialised in front of him, a few feet away, behind the fallen corpse. He had his gun in hand, light smoke still rolling out of its nozzle. The man's shoulder was injured and bleeding, but he did not seem to be worrying too much. With one last nod, he disappeared again. Scout would have to deal with that later, but for now, he had a RED Scout to catch up to.

He saw him heading for the BLU base, bastard probably after their intel. Somehow, he would have to get to him, make sure he didn't shoot and get him to listen. If Engineer was right about all the classes of each team being the same, getting that kid to listen would be close to impossible. The best technique would be to get his attention from the start and maybe Engie's people skills would come in handy there too.

He found the RED Scout crouching behind a boulder, trying to figure out a way to get around the base without the sentries detecting him .This would be the perfect opportunity to pounce, since the target was unmoving at the moment. Scout simply jogged through the field, seeing as the sentries wouldn't shoot at him and jumped as high as he could, over the boulder and straight onto the other Scout.

"What the FUCK!" RED cried.

"NURSE!" The BLU Scout yelled, first chance he had. "Nurse, Nurse, Nurse!"

"What the hell man? I ain't your Nurse!" The disgruntled young man made a grab for his gun, but BLU had anticipated such a move and pinned him down to the dusty floor.

"HEY! Get off fag!"

"No listen to me –"

"Fuck you! I swear to fucking God –"

"Shut up for a second man, I –"

"No! Get off!"

The RED Scout squirmed underneath him, almost freeing himself if BLU didn't act fast. Having no other choice, he lifted his knee and ground it into the other young man's thigh as hard as he could.

"OW! What the fuck ass hole?"

"Listen to me, for a fucking second! I need your fucking help."

"Fuck you!"

"Nurse is going to die." He went on, ignoring the other Scout's comments and trying to keep him down, which was becoming harder and harder as the other boy squirmed and resisted.

"Duh, it's a war." The RED paused all his movements only to speak and roll his eyes, but that only lasted a second and he quickly resumed his kicking and screaming. "Let go, Goddamnit!"

With one hard kick, the BLU was pushed off his opponent and rolled off onto the dusty floor of the battlefield. The two of them were back on their feet in an instant, but the RED had been quicker in pulling out his gun. He pointed the weapon straight at the BLU's chest and held it steady.

"Listen." Scout could not afford to die now, not when Nurse's life was in his hands...sort of. The boy put aside his dignity for her sake and raised his hands next to his head defensively. "If you shoot me your going to regret it. Nurse –"

"What the hell are you going to do about it, if I do?" The RED sneered.

"Nothing. I'm going to try and save Nurse by myself after I respawn, but it might be too late."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I fucking TOLD you man! Shut up and listen for a sec here! Our fucking crazy quack decided to let her out on the field so she can help out, but she's not in the system. One headshot, one critical hit and she's done for, do you understand!"

"Wait, how is she not in the respawn?"

"She's just not, I don't know, the fucking nutcase didn't put her in there." They were losing time. Scout was talking so fast, his sentences were starting to sound like one big word. The RED Scout didn't seem to be grasping the concept all to well. The boy was staring at him with an empty gaze, blinking slowly every now and then.

"If she gets shot, she's going to lie there forever. She won't disappear, she won't get better and fuck, I'm not going to be the one to dig her a grave out here." Scout spat at his rival as he lowered his hands. "If she dies, it's over."

"Why the hell should I care? She's a BLU."

"Oh come on! Are you seriously going to pull this bullshit right now? She is going to DIE! For good. Unless we do something."

"Why me? Ask someone else, jeez. Maybe someone from your own team!" The RED said and lowered his gun. "I'm too busy." He added and turned his back to him.

"You protect her from her OWN Heavy, but when there's an ACTUAL threat on her LIFE, your suddenly too busy? You weren't too busy last night, apparently."

It was no use. His words were all in vain. The only thing they brought was a single dirty glance shot over the RED's shoulder before both of them dashed off in opposite directions.

BLU was on his own.

/

/

He found her close to the RED base, standing back to back with Medic as their healing gun swirled around, reaching anyone who was in need of their assistance. Bullets flew past her, barely missing her head sometimes. Scout's stomach churned at every shot taken in her direction and decided that if he didn't move now, he would surely faint. He had been very lucky so far though. He found it even a little suspicious that there were no shots aimed at HIM, or even attacks of any sort. There were a few, but once again, the RED died before reaching him.

It all looked easy enough from his hiding spot behind one of the base's walls. He would just run, grab her and run out. There would be only a few obstacles, first, getting shot, but if he continued being as fortunate as he was earlier in the day, that wouldn't be a problem. Second, Nurse was not going down without a fight. She would most definitely resist him, unless she...

And just like that, she was gone.

"Fucking idiot!" Scout cursed under his breath.

A red shape, the same one he had spotted earlier, came flying into the scene, swooped her up with ease and dashed off, just as quickly as it had arrived, leaving everybody confused and lost. Scout acted fast and shot the RED Soldier, who had just recently respawned, in the shoulder, causing the man to shriek out his loud battle cry and shoot his rocket launcher all over the place. The chaos resumed and the BLU Scout slipped away unnoticed to catch up with the bastard who stole her Nurse.

"Too busy my ass."

/

/

It didn't take long to find them. All he had to do was follow the sounds of a very loud argument and there they were. Nurse sat on the ground, cornered against a wall while the RED Scout hovered over her. Every time she attempted to make a run for it, the boy would throw himself at her, landing them both back onto the floor while he straddled her hips. For a moment, they would both pathetically flush brilliant red before going back to their bickering. This happened a few times, like watching an awkward game of tackle football on a tiny field.

"Get off!" She yelled and sat up, the Scout still sitting on her.

"You'll die! What the hell is it that you don't get you stupid – OW! Stop kicking!"

The RED Scout was doing his best at containing her but Nurse would not have it.

"What the hell are you doing?" She was getting angrier and angrier, banging at his chest with tiny fists. He did not budge.

"Savin' your life. Be grateful."

"I didn't ask you to. Don't touch me." She hissed when he grabbed onto her wrists.

"I will if you promise to stop."

The BLU watched them with arched brows and amusement. The scene could almost be considered romantic, if they stopped glaring and growling at each other. Despite the very obvious tension being transferred from one to the other like sparks of electricity in the air, the BLU did not let the small details go unnoticed. The way he held her wrists was anything but forceful and when she pulled away abruptly, he gracefully caught them again before they were out of his reach. It was a very subtle move, maybe even done unconsciously, but the BLU almost giggled when he saw his rival's thumbs slowly glide up her wrists and slide underneath her clenched fingers only to end up gently pressed against her palms.

"Calm down, a'ight?" He said, a little more softly. "Your guy's here. He'll explain, so at least listen to him and please don't try and run off."

Watching him was like looking through a mirror and seeing a very adult version of himself. The RED had transformed in a matter of seconds, not completely, but enough for the BLU to notice. His voice was still annoying and his air still arrogant, but the way he worried about her made him look so... different.

He slowly let go of her and backed away, anticipating another attempted escape on her part. When she didn't move, he motioned for him to take over the spotlight.

"Nurse." The BLU crouched down to her level and pushed down on her shoulders before she had a chance to get up. "You gotta listen."

Defeated, she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the both of them. "I'm listening." She growled.

"Medic hasn't put you in the respawn system, don't ask why, but the quack just didn't, meaning if you get hurt badly enough or get one critical hit, you're dead, like, forever. So I came to save you and asked this guy for help and at first he said no, so I went alone. Then, next thing I know, he's got you in his arms, flying across the field." He explained in one big breath, inhaling loudly when he finished.

Nurse's face had gone from blushing to bleach white. The boys watched as the color rapidly drained from her face, like in the cartoons. Her body and her gaze froze and then, began to tremble horribly as the gut wrenching reality slowly dawned on her.

"I could have..." She gulped.

"Died." The RED Scout finished, receiving an elbow to the ribs from the other.

"Yeah..." The BLU glared at him. "It's a freakin' miracle you didn't."

"Or me." RED pointed out. "Was really lucky I didn't get shot. Even you, jack ass." He jerked his chin toward the other Scout.

Yeah... it was. But speaking of jackasses, that reminded him...

"By the way, dirt rat, what the hell ya' doin' changin' your mind last minute. Ya' could've told me you were gonna snatch her up like that."

"Whateva' asswipe. You were way too slow for my taste." He grinned arrogantly.

"Slow? That was YOUR territory. I had to be careful. Easy for you to run through with no questions asked."

"Yeah, yeah, excuses. Bullshit excuses. I don't DO careful, a'ight? I don't think, I jus –"

"You're a man of action? You thought 'I'm gonna save Nurse!' so you just did?" Nurse cut him off, rolling her eyes. She smirked and stood, giving the Scout a challenging look.

"Yeah. Exactly."

The two stared each other down, Nurse squinting and shaking her head and the RED giving her his best 'whatch'a' gonna do about it' look. Clearly, there was something the BLU was missing here, but there was no time to discuss their inside jokes, no matter how curious he was.

"Alright, alright, enough with the flirting. We need to hide you." He announced, waving his arms around and stepping between them.

"I am not –"

"Can't we just keep her here?" RED cut her off. "What if someone sees?"

"I don't know, but we can't just stay here for the rest of the battle. People are gonna wonder where the hell BOTH the Scouts went. Plus, almost everybody saw you taking her away."

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here."

"Then we should probably take her back to your base, you know, away from RED."

"Hey! Stop it!"

"That could work, but –oh."

The BLU's gaze went passed the RED's, where the BLU Spy had just rounded the corner, hoping to be discreet. The masked man did not seem surprised at all and simply looked over each and every one of them before nodding and walking past them as if there was nothing odd about it at all.

"Um...right." The BLU Scout cleared his throat. "I... I think we should just go."

"Oh yeah, 'cause the three of us running toward the BLU base doesn't look suspicious at all." She spoke up. "What the hell am I supposed to tell Medic by the way? You know, about the fact that the RED Scout sort of kidnapped me."

"Tell him I was ah...that I was tryin' to like, I don't know, disadvantage your team or somethin'." The RED scratched the back of his head and shrugged.

"Then he's gonna ask why you didn't kill me!"

"Trust me." The BLU sighed. "He won't." And grabbed her and ran, the RED following behind at a safe distance.

/

/

He didn't like leaving her there with him. He didn't like it at all, but the RED had some very valid points as why he should be the one to stay behind. Someone had to watch her, that was for sure, but to what extent could this guy be trusted? Nurse seemed comfortable enough with him around and even had the nerve to talk back to him; if she trusted him, he had no reason not to. Even so, the BLU Scout couldn't help but look back a few times while leaving them.

He didn't know where to go or what to do exactly, so he ran around aimlessly until he saw some members of his team. He pretended to be trying to get into the RED base, which he really wasn't, but he had to put on some kind of show so no one would suspect anything.

Eventually the time ran out. No one really won, but the BLUs had gotten pretty close a few times. On the way back, Scout still decided to keep a low profile and prayed that the RED Scout was too.

"You were pretty beat up back there, Spy." He heard the Engineer's voice close by.

"Yes, thank God for our Medic." The Frenchman replied.

"You're usually pretty slick when it comes to this, what the hell happened?"

Yes, why the hell WAS he beat up? Spy never gets 'beat up'. He gets shot, or stabbed and dies, that's it! There is no process of getting 'beat up'. Scout waited for the man's answer impatiently.

"Ah." He sighed. "I was all over the place today, my friend."

/

/

Rest was the last thing on Scout's mind when entering the base after the battle. On the contrary, he was running even faster than he was outside, his eyes darting left and right restlessly, trying to catch a glimpse of one specific BLU team member. The man always hit the showers last and never bothered going to the Medic or the infirmary, unless he was seriously injured, which he wasn't this time.

Dashing through the maze of hallways, he almost ran into a wall when he saw the lean back, clad in a blue pinstripe suit jacket. Scout dug his heels in, coming to a squeaking halt, rubber soles against tiled floor.

The masked man paused and threw an incredibly bored glance over his shoulder, before simply turning back and continuing to walk away with his hands tucked into his pockets.

"Hey!" Scout called, almost stumbling as he picked up his pace after him.

The man stopped again. He seemed a bit hesitant for a second but then was on his way again with a gentle shake of his head. Scout, confused and becoming angry, frowned and ran after him. When he reached him, he grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around furiously. The Frenchman did not resist.

"What is it you want?" He sighed at the boy impatiently, whose frown deepened, arms darted out and hands tightly held each side of the older man's face.

With one deep breath, he pulled and closed the distance.

Their lips meshed together into what was, obviously, not the perfect kiss. It did not last long and the participants were not very active during, seeing as one had no idea what he was doing and the other was still in the middle of recovering from the shock to be able to accept what was happening. It was all in the spontaneity of it because, let's face it, neither of them had seen that coming.

When it became clear that neither of them had any intention of making a move, Scout let go and pulled away slowly, already missing the feeling of having the other man so close.

"Thanks." He said sternly, trying to keep his dignity in tact. "For before" And ran off before the baffled Frenchman could muster a reply.

/

/

**Blu Sniper**

I'm always last to get fixed up, since I fall asleep in the waiting room every time. It used to piss Medic off like hell, but Nurse never seems to mind. Besides, I rather be woken with a gentle shake and a softly whispered 'Sniper' than a rubber-glove-slap to the face followed by a string of German curses. But this time, I could have sworn it was the Pyro waking me up.

"Bloody hell!" I jumped out of my seat, clutching my burning arms in my hand.

"Calm down." I heard. She was crouching by my chair, a tube of God knows what in hand.

"That stung, kid."

She smirked. "That means it's working."

I sighed. Goddamn crazy doctors, smiling at other people's pain... "Ya' could've warned me."

"I didn't want to wake you up. You looked tired." She sounded so calm and relaxed, it was contagious. I sat back down and let her continue.

"You're a saint, kid. I don't know what the hell you're doin' wastin' away in this dump." I snorted. "Didn't wanna wake me up... first time I'm hearing something like that aroun' here."

Nurse laughed, but I wasn't sure if it was genuine or if she was just being polite. I stared down at her tending to my burns (damn Pyro) and it hit me, just like it did every other time I looked at her, how out of place she really was. The girl was the definition of T.L.C., something this place noticeably lacked. It was almost impossible to believe that the other team's brat was into such a creature. Just the thought of them together in that way was ridiculous. It's not like she could feel that way about someone like that, but the question was, did she know about how HE felt? She seemed pretty oblivious about it when the 'Romeo' incident happened, at least that's what Spy had said. Yes, it's weird saying it like that, but that's what everyone started calling it (thanks to Heavy), so it just kind of stuck. In my opinion, it doesn't work at all; Romeo never reopened one of Juliet's stab wounds.

"Do you want something over this or should I leave it?" She asked.

"Nah, I'll be fine. I don't move around much so –"

"BUSHMAN!"

"NUR –AW SHIT!"

Outside the infirmary, the footsteps that had accompanied the voices came to a halt. They had yelled in unison, but the two separate voices were very easy to discern. I could tell by how surprised Nurse was that I wasn't the only one who recognized them.

We sat there for a few seconds waiting for something to happen. Nothing did. Nurse gave me a questioning look –to which I responded with a shrug- and got up to open the door. She moved slowly, like a hunter would, not to scare off the prey. She shot a glance through the slit she had opened and then turned to me with her lips pressed together, unsure of what to do next. I could have sworn she was holding in a smile.

She backed up, pulling the door open with her and revealing our very own Spy and Scout standing at the threshold.

"Bushman..." Spy cleared his throat. "We must speak immediately."

Ah, the awkward in the air. The two kept shooting uncomfortable glances at each other. They both seemed pissed off and nervous at the same time. Spy was red with frustration and discomfort, while as I believe Scout was just downright blushing. The tension between them could be cut with my kukri. I decided to make it worse.

"What, like, all 4 of us?"

"What! Non! Just you and I!" His eyes widened, horrified and panicked. I had never seen the Spook so flustered and the Scout so quiet. Jesus, they looked like they just got caught making out. I decided to make it worse.

"Right here?"

"No!" The Scout spoke up this time and then attempted to catch himself. "I mean uh... I need Nurse..."

"Okay well, you two sit there while I finish with him." She walked back to my side, unscrewing that tube of devil's cream again.

Like a couple of punished ankle biters, they went over to the sitting area. They left four empty seats between them and I never had to laugh so bad in my entire life.

"I though you said you were done with me?" I teased her.

"Oh shut up, this is hilarious and you know it." She whispered, darting her eyes behind her.

"Very true."

"What do you think happened?" She asked.

"Dunno. But by the looks of it, Heavy caught 'em pulling a Romeo."

We both puffed out some laughter, lowering out heads, trying to hide it from what could be considered, the most awkward pair of mercs ever.

/

/

**Nurse **

Everyone had gone to bed, but only 9 had actually fallen asleep. Nurse sat in her infirmary on one of the light blue loungers pushed against the wall parallel to the windows, legs crossed and book in hand. She had turned on only half of the halogen lights on the ceiling, giving the room a dim orange glow. She was comfortable and an odd feeling of safety had taken over her after what had happened during the battle.

A lot of good things had happened. For one, she was still alive, thanks to the BLU Scout. Sniper and her had bonded, Spy had apparently spent his day covering for Scout and most importantly, the Scout had kissed Spy, which flustered the both of them. A visit from Medic had interrupted Scout's story, but he did not scold her. He asked her if everything was okay and, just like Scout had promised, did not say a word about the RED who kidnapped her. He gave her her old post back and that way, there would be nothing to worry about.

The only mystery remaining was that of the RED Scout. He had stayed with her in the BLU base all day, pacing the room and checking the hall constantly. They didn't talk much because he was in battle mode and wouldn't sit still. She had so much to ask him, mostly why he was even doing this, risking his life to protect her, again. Even IF he could never actually get 'killed', he had no reason to do this, not that she could think of. Her Scout had been right when he chose him out of all people to help save her and he knew much that he wasn't telling her. In the matter of a few weeks, the RED Scout had become the number one, giant question mark drawn over her life.

And there he was, at least his head was, set on her windowsill watching her. With a loud gasp, she was on her feet, book on the floor and forgotten.

"What are you doing?" She mouthed.

The Scout was literally dangling from her window, his body held up by only one of his forearms that rested firmly on the edge.

"Help?" He mouthed back.

Nurse slid the window open and tried to help him up. All she really had to do was step back and give him room as he hauled himself up with one arm and hopped in. For someone who ran around all day, that was one hell of a display of upper body strength.

"We were together the whole day! What could you possibly want?" She whispered.

He made his way to one of the chairs and smiled over his shoulder.

"What, couldn't get enough of me?" She grinned at him.

"Yeah." He laughed. "How'd ya' guess?" His voice was terribly strained and his smile was forced. She didn't realize or even notice what was wrong until he chuckled at her again and the tears streamed down his face.

"Holy shit." She mumbled and sprang into action.

"How deep?" She asked him once she was by his side.

"Uh, like an inch? Maybe less, actually..." He groaned and it was a horrible sound.

Nurse ran around in her infirmary, grabbing everything she could find some use out of and dumping them on the table next to Scout. She only wished she had that stupid healing gun with her. The damn thing was left downstairs and would make a loud enough noise to wake everyone up, anyway. Would it even work on him?

"Why the hell did you let me blabber on like that? Say something when you're hurt!"

"You weren't tellin' me to get out for once." No matter how hoarse his voice was, she could still distinguish the smile on his lips. "I wanted to enjoy it."

"No. Don't talk now." She ordered even if she had asked the question.

"I was ready to beg for help, but I guess you don't need an invitation, huh?" he chuckled again, but it sounded like he was choking.

"Really? Do you think now is the right time to try and be cute?"

"I'm cute?"

"Shush. I need to work."

"A'ight, a'ight, just chill out, toots."

The boy was laughing an crying at the same time and his whole situation was an overall mess. Yet, he still felt the need to open his mouth and waste air and energy, two things he really needed at the moment.

She kneeled down next to him and got to work. Stopping the bleeding, disinfecting the cut and cleaning it up were all done in a blur, she was going so fast. Her mind was set on fixing him up before he lost too much blood, and God, that stuff was everywhere.

"I'm going to sew it shut, so try not to move. I need to be careful." She broke the silence that had stretched out for the longest time now.

"Does that mean you're going to slow down now?" He glanced down at her.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You've been working on fast forward for the past half hour, since you realised I was bleedin' to death."

"Excuse me for wanting you NOT to bleed to death." She paused and looked at him. "I had no choice." He didn't say anything else and looked away.

"But yes, I'm going to slow down. We can talk now."

"Yeah? 'Bout what?" He grinned boyishly and sat up.

He seemed excited about it. Nurse didn't know why, she really wasn't that interesting to talk to.

"I have a couple of questions, actually."

"Shoot."

"Well the first goes without saying but," she jerked her chin toward the wound, "what the fuck?"

The Bostonian threw his head back and chuckled a few times.

"Second?"

"Are you aware that your team had its own Medic?"

"Anything else?"

"Yeah, but let's start with those, please."

"Okay. So, basically, they all thought I had kidnapped you, like, a prisoner 'cause you escaped an' all. So yeah, they were wonderin' where you were, I told 'em you got away."

"And they believed that?"

"No. I said your Scout attacked me and took you."

"Ah." She chuckled.

"Yeah, so they all bought it, so then when I was goin' back to my room after dinner, our Spy told me he wanted to show me somethin' in the cell where they had kept you, right? He told me you had left somethin' behind and maybe I would recognize it."

Nurse's hands froze. The Spy...?

"So I go, and this idiot pushes me against the wall."

Her eyes slide up to his face, praying that he was joking.

"He says he knows I'm lyin' about you and saw what really happened. Fucking sneaky bastard was probably followin' me 'round. So yeah, apparently, I deserve the same punishment."

"Same...?" Her breath hitched in her throat. "Oh God."

She let go of the needle and thread, clamping her hands over her mouth to hold back the gasp, the sobs or maybe even the vomit because she felt sick. She had been in a panic, there was blood everywhere and she had to concentrate, it never occurred to her until he mentioned it... but of course, it was right there in front of her. She had been working on it for the past 45 minutes, how could she have missed something so obvious this whole time!

It was his left arm. Starting two inches below the shoulder, going all the was down his upper arm and a bit less than an inch deep. It was the same knife too, she could tell. It was all the same.

Just like hers.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked her.

"How are you so calm." She hissed at him.

Nurse got up to her feet, holding on to the armrest because her knees were wobbling and were about to fail her if she let them. Her mind had gone hazy and her actions were not thought through. She just had to check and that's it. Nothing else mattered. She just had to be sure, the consequences or indecency of what she was doing did not register yet, not when she was in this state.

"Whoa, hey there, what do ya' think you're doin'!" Scout exclaimed with nervous laughter.

Nurse had trapped his legs in between hers, looming over the young man in his seat. She lowered herself down slowly, almost straddling him, but not quite. Her eyes were concentrated on the boy's abdomen, so she did not see the utterly shocked expression that played on Scout's face. No one could really blame the boy; the girl had gone from being calm and professional to feeling the need to suddenly mount him. With trembling fingers, she managed to gently grab onto the hem of his shirt with both hands and slide it upwards. She shut her eyes and held her breath until she felt smooth skin running underneath her wrists. Only then did she allow herself to actually look and exhale: flawless skin and strong abdominal muscles. Relief flooded over her and she replaced the shirt and calmly stepped off the boy.

"I'm sorry." She said. "You really didn't have to come after me and- "

"Yeah, but I did and that ain't your fault right? That was my own decision and I got caught, so what?"

Her eyes wavered slightly and fell back onto the unfinished needlework over the wound.

"He didn't cut me up like he did with you. I'm a RED, that would be like sabotaging his own team, right?"

"I...I suppose." She mumbled and went back to work, her fingers shaking more than ever. However, she didn't get very far. She couldn't bring herself to hold the needle still and kept dropping it.

"Hey." Scout poked at her forehead to get her attention. "We're even now, right? You got cut up because of me and now I got cut up because of... well me again, I think..."

"Don't say that." She said solemnly. "It makes it sound like he's innocent."

"Who? Spy? Nah, he's a jackass, kinda... goes without sayin', ya' know?" He shrugged.

Nurse's expression did not change. She still seemed to be scared half to death and was having incredible difficulty with closing the wound up. She could feel his eyes on her and tried to control the tremors. She couldn't look like a rookie in front of a patient, she'd loose his trust or something. Then again, he DID go to her instead of his OWN Medic. Which brought up another question he hadn't answered yet.

"Why didn't you go to your own Medic?" She didn't look at him, but she knew his gaze was still on her. With her teeth, she snipped the excess thread and the job was finished. "I'll get you a bandage. You talk." She added.

"Well what was I supposed to tell him? Our Spy stabbed me because he knows I rescued the Nurse? After that, the whole team would know and man, I don't even wanna know what would happen next!" He laughed that same nervous laugh. What was he so nervous about?

"What about a dispenser, or use the healing gun yourself?" She knew he couldn't use any of those without raising suspicion from another team member, but she wanted to hear what he had to say.

"I'd get caught, for sure. Plus I got to see if you were okay. I guess your Medic didn't react too badly?"

"No." She came back to him with some gauze and began wrapping it around the injury.

"That's good. Hey!" His face seemed to suddenly light up. "We match." He said pointing at his bandaging and then hers.

"I don't think that's a good thing." She chuckled and shook her head.

"I'm just tryin' to make you feel better."

She looked up at him and smiled. A genuine smile. "It's working." she mumbled and stood up.

"Good." He smiled back.

"You should get going."

"Yeah..."

"Your arm better?"

"Yeah."

He didn't move a muscle.

"You really should leave, Scout."

"Yeah, yeah, I knew this was too good to be true, you lettin' me stay here an' all." He said, staring at the ground and scratching the back of his head.

"It's all good. Thanks for everyting. I'll be back tomorrow!"

And with that, he was gone again, out of the window and out of sight. She only hoped they wouldn't ask about his arm and if they did, she prayed he would lie about it. Nurse picked up her book, put it back on the shelf, closed the lights and went to bed.

And only then, when she was laying between her sheets, did she realise.

"He'll be back...?"


	11. Chapter 11

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 11- Your Move

By, the Unlucky-Charm

**Sniper**

"Oi! Open up!"

He banged harder on the door, but knew it wouldn't make much of a difference. If Spy didn't want to open up, he wouldn't, now matter how annoying Sniper tried to be.

He had seen him go to his room so there was no doubt the Frenchman was in there. The man had had a bad day. Up in his perch, the Sniper had watched as his teammate got killed over and over and over, pushing him over the edge of desperation. He had seen him go down into the sewers. Sniper had only been down there once and it was one of the most disgusting experiences of his life, which is really saying a lot for a man who pisses in jars and then conserves it for later use. The Spy would never go down there and soil his suit just for the hell of it. He knew he had messed up and as much as he might deny it, he's just a man, just like his teammates, with one hell of a vulnerable ego, which got hurt real bad after today's battle.

The Frenchman was definitely mad at himself, childishly hiding in his room. Sniper would usually leave him alone to his sulking, but he couldn't help himself today. Yesterday, something had happened between him and their Scout. Spy had gone looking for him but then, after having spend a whole half hour sitting awkwardly in Nurse's infirmary, the spook just cloaked and disappeared from sight, without even telling Sniper anything. He owed him an explanation. It must have been some juicy stuff for both men to come barging into the infirmary, yelling out for their respective confidants like that. Spy never lost composure, but yesterday... Sniper had never seen him like that.

"Come on Spook." He said in a softer tone. "You can't leave me hanging like this."

He heard footsteps and then a voice. "What do you want?"

"I want to know what happened yesterday. You seem... distracted."

"And it's affecting my work."

Sniper sighed and pressed himself against the door.

"Nah, I wouldn't say that. I mean –"

"Do not lie, bushman."

"Alright, look. Ya' messed up today, I know. But that –hey, can you open the door. It's weird talkin' like this."

After a short pause, the door slowly creaked open wide enough to let the Aussie in. Sniper had been into Spy's room only a few times before. The spook usually appeared in his own room, or his van, or even his perch when he had something to talk about.

"Sit down." The Frenchman said, motioning him over to the bed.

Sniper sat, but Spy remained standing. This was how it always went. Sniper would sit down while Spy paced in the room, talking, pondering, trying to figure things out. Every now and then, the Aussie would throw in an idea or an opinion, which Spy would or would not take into consideration depending on his mood. Sometimes, Sniper even wondered if he was only there so that Spy wouldn't seem so crazy, talking to himself.

But today was a very rare exception.

Spy had once told Sniper that he can understand the inner workings of every single BLU or RED member's mind; way of thinking, intelligence, opinions, religion, sexuality... And the stuff he didn't know, he would make a point to find out. 'I know everything about everyone' he had said, way too arrogantly 'except for myself.' And that there, was why Sniper was here today.

As much as Spy believed that he was nothing more than some kind of heartless, cold blooded killer, he was wrong. He was human after all and sometimes, he would forget to acknowledge that.

"The stupid rabbit kissed me."

"Scout? Oh...wow."

Sniper had been expecting it to be the other way around. Something around the lines of him making the move and the kid pushing him away, hence embarrassing him. Sniper was surprised. He would never have guessed that the kid would have it in him. It was ironic, really. After having called absolutely everybody on both bases either a 'fag' or a 'homo', he goes ahead and pulls the gayest stunt of them all.

"Yes... I..." He cleared his throat and looked away and the opposite wall. "I didn't think he would ever have the guts to... Let us just say that he was quite passionate about it."

Spy zoned out for a second. Sniper reckoned he was probably reliving the moment.

"Kind of hard ta' believe, mate." Sniper said only to break the silence. "It's not something the mongrel would do. Kissin' ya' just like that, out of nowhere."

"That's why I needed to speak to you."

For the first time ever, Spy actually sat down. He pulled out the wooden stool, pushed under his desk and sat, resting his elbows on his thighs.

"It didn't happen 'just like that' or 'out of nowhere'. I might have..."

"You provoked him again." Sniper said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I told you it was a bad idea."

"But I didn't mean to!" The Spy blurted out defensively. "I swear I did not!"

There was more to it, obviously, but Spy did not speak up for a while. The Australian thought it a better idea to stay silent for now, let the man gather his thoughts until he was ready. He had never seen Spy like this. The man lost his temper every now and then, but now it just seemed like he was having a constant inner battle with himself, a battle he was sure to lose. Sniper knew the man to be controlled and composed. He would never do something extravagant, so whatever it was he had done must have been discreet and under the table, something Scout wouldn't notice was happening. Well... he must have if he ended up kissing him.

"Spy." Sniper was patient, but this man clearly needed a push. "What'd ya' do, mate?"

"Very well, I will tell you. But I will have you know that I was only doing my job!" He frowned, pointing a warning finger at Sniper.

"Alright, alright."

Another short pause and the story began.

"You know what happened with the girl, don't you?"

"With the RED Scout?"

"Yes. He... kidnapped her, I suppose."

"Yeah. It's becoming a trend, Scouts gettin' all romantic." Sniper teased, his lips curling into a dirty grin.

"Watch yourself bushman." The Spy warned, but let the comment pass. "Anyway, do you know why he did that?"

"He loves her?"

"No...well, yes, but that's not the point." Spy slowly leaned in and stared the Australian straight in the eyes, their gazes meeting in a perfectly straight line. "The Medic had not put her in the respawn." He whispered.

"Ya' kiddin'! Why the hell not!?" Sniper couldn't believe it. She could have died! Really died!

"Not allowed. She is not a real class, is she."

"It's a bit... I don't know, unsettling? I mean, poor girl could have really –"

"What's wrong, bushman? Going soft, are we? You are an assassin, you know. It's your job to kill little girls if your employer tells you to." Spy paused. "Oh! Or is it just because it's Nurse?"

"Hey!" He grabbed his colleague by the collar and pulled. "That's disgusting. She's half my age. And lucky for me, little girls ain't on my list of shots. Stop tryin' to turn the tables, alright? You're the one who's losing his head thinking about a boy who... heh, look at that, he might even be half your age! You ain't one to talk, are ya'?" Sniper whispered in a low growl. His voice was husky and threatening, a huge change from his usual Australian drawl.

Instead of attempting to pull away from the Sniper's iron grip, Spy leaned in further, pressing his masked cheek against the Sniper's stubble. His lips, perfectly at level with his ear.

"You know bushman, if you're trying to turn me on... it just might be working." He purred, only to be pushed away half a second later.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" Sniper blushed, outraged and bit uncomfortable.

"Nothing. I just don't like it when you go all 'outback crocodile hunter' on me." The Spy shrugged, fixing his tie nonchalantly, pissing Sniper off all the more.

"Are ya' gonna finish your story or am I going to have to go ask Scout and trust me, neither of us wants me to do that."

"Fine, fine. Our Scout found out and decided to go save her. He... he was very desperate to. He went for the RED's help, knowing he was the best person to ask. That's why the boy took her away, it was all a plan to keep her alive."

Wow. Who knew there was so much drama in the base. Here he was, assuming that the RED Scout was just kidnapping her, when really there was whole other story behind it, involving two of his own teammates. This was turning out to be some kind of soap opera, like the ones his mum used to watch. Spy was the rich, lonely asshole living on his own, who ended up falling for this sweet, young girl (Scout), her shyness and independence being what peeked his interest. Then there was Nurse, the rich man's... niece maybe? The RED Scout was the son of a rival rich family who fell in love with the niece, whom he would go see after hours; forbidden love. And then there was him, the wise old butler who would give the rich, lonely asshole some advice and –

Sniper mentally kicked himself. Jesus, he had to stop pulling shit like this. The story was starting to sound like a cross between Batman and Romeo and Juliet. No wonder the Spy still believed he was gay.

"What does this have to do with you?"

"You see, I was afraid he wasn't going to make it. So, I might have followed him all day, covering him."

"Might have?"

"Okay, I did. We crossed paths at one point and I think he overheard me speaking to the Engineer. He was already suspicious, I'm sure. He can't be that stupid."

"Why would he be suspicious?"

"Think bushman! The boy runs around all over the place and gets shot at. He wasn't even running yesterday and no bullet came closer than 30 feet from him! Anyone would think that a bit odd, non?"

"Yeah, guess you're right... Wait, is that why he kissed you?"

"Yes. He just walked up to me and did it." The Frenchman looked away, a small smirk playing on his lips. "At first I thought it was because he just couldn't resist me anymore."

"Yeah. Well, at least you're modest about it." Sniper snorted.

"But then he thanked me and I knew what it was about."

"Well ain't he sweet!" Sniper rolled his eyes. "Let me guess. Now you feel lost without his lips against yours? You need to be in his presence to feel complete? You can no longer bare to see him die on the battlefield? Do you wish he were pressed against you and –hey, wait, why DID you help him out?"

"I'll tell you if you're done being a dramatic idiot."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good."

Spy plucked out a cigarette from the box he had sticking out of his pocket. He was either nervous or staling so he could pick his words properly. It was a stupid question he had asked, Sniper wondered. Of course he knew why Spy went through all that trouble, but he would never admit it. Now he'd probably start talking strategy or something.

"You see, it is all about strategy, mon ami."

Ha!

"That so?"

"Oui. If we lost our Nurse, we would lose our Scout as well, in the sense that he would no longer be able to fight properly. Scout is clearly attached to the girl. If she died, it would hurt him and therefore affect his performance on the field."

Sniper rolled his eyes up to the side to do some calculations. Yes, that was his thinking face and yes, he did look like a seven year old trying to do a math equation.

"Ya' should've stopped your sentence about... eight words ago." He said, smirking playfully as he watched the Frenchman pause and do the math.

"... if she died, it would hurt him...?"

"Yeah. That's all you care about."

"That it would hurt him."

"Yes."

"How would you know?"

"Because the only time I've seen you lose control is when you get drenched in the RED bastard's piss and yesterday, when you came running to the infirmary, the little mongrel in tow, that's what you looked like... only without all the disgust."

"I see."

It was interesting how the Spy wouldn't deny anything. He would ask questions, have his doubts, but he would never downright tell Sniper he was wrong. He was taking this into consideration, he could tell, but what would that mean? The Frenchman had to start thinking about his next move. He couldn't just leave the boy hanging, after what the kid had the guts to do. He had to answer to it.

"What should I do now?"

"That's up to you, mate."

"Does it have to be something... I would like to just speak to him."

"I think that's best, yeah."

"You may leave now."

And that was it. They were done for the day and he was of no use to him anymore, until he needed him again.

"Thank you, bushman." He added for the very first time. Sniper didn't turn back and muttered a 'welcome', but as he was about to leave, Spy grabbed at his shoulder.

"And please don't get too attached." He added, a little to smug for his taste. "You know who I mean."

"I told you, that's disgusting."

"Yes, but you know very well what I mean, bushman. You're as open a book as I am."

"You're welcome." He said, ignoring that last comment and shutting the door behind him.

/

/

Scout was in between being anxious and bubbly. He had kissed Spy, in the heat of the moment and the thought of it just made his insides squirm, but if it was a good feeling or not, he could not tell. The man had not said anything in return, but that's probably because Scout took off the second their lips parted. It had been amazing. That moment played itself over and over again that night and when he finally managed to fall asleep, his mind remained restless and he ended up dreaming of it too.

He kissed him! The sentence ran through his head every single second and once it finally stopped, other sentences took his place. Scout decided that he liked the previous, giddy sentences better than the new ones. The new ones had questions in them, questions he didn't want to answer. Did Spy like it? Is he mad? Did he tell everyone? How does he feel about it? Does that... make them anything now?

Scout didn't feel like dealing with the answers, so he thought Nurse should because, well, Nurse is a girl and a bit better at knowing how these types of things worked.

"You can't really tell if he liked it or not, but you said you just pressed your lips together, so it couldn't really have been bad. If he didn't yell at you or hit you or push you away, no, probably not mad. You're going to have to ask him how he feels and that's when you can decide if it makes you guys anything or not."

God, she was straightforward and he was so very thankful of that.

"There is no way I'm speaking to Spy. Today, I was running and our eyes met and I swear I have never felt so awkward in my life." Scout buried his face into his palms and grunted. "I can't believe I did that."

She laughed softly and patted his back. "It's okay. I'm sure he'll be the one to come up to you, he just needs some time to prepare. He needs to sort his thoughts and maybe even consult a certain someone."

"You still think Sniper is in on everything?"

"Yeah, definitely. Do you trust me, Scout?"

"More than anyone here, yeah."

"Well, I'm getting the feeling that Sniper is to Spy what I am to you." She paused and got up, putting her hands on her hips. "It's starting to feel like high school, really. His friend knowing this about her and her best friend knowing this and then telling her and then he finds out because blah blah blah. You guys should just sort this out and get it over it."

"Gettin' sick of the drama?" He chuckled, staring up at her.

"Not at all. I'm loving it. It's entertaining. I just want you to be okay and see some Spy on Scout action." She shrugged and turned to her counter where some used needles needed to be thrown out or disinfected.

"Yeah? Good. So you don't mind helpin' me?"

"Not at all. It makes me feel useful and –" Nurse glanced at Scout who immediately looked away from her. The Bostonian stared at his shoes, rubbing the edges of his sneakers together. His front teeth bore into his lower lip and a light frown fell over his eyes. He seemed to be caught in an inner struggle for a while.

"Is there something you want, Scout?" She asked, trying to sound pleasant and save the conversation.

"Your help with...somethin'. I can't do it myself, I'm not that good yet." He smiled sheepishly and went back to staring at the ground.

"At what?"

"The French."

"Oh..." Nurse had no clue where he was going with this, but if it involved French, she could definitely help out.

"I'm thinkin' of writin' him a message, ya' know? So we can meet again and all and like you said, sort all this shit out."

"In French?"

"Yeah, gay right? I just think maybe it'll impress him, even if he figures out that it wasn't me, which he probably will. Fuck!" Scout burst out all of a sudden, stuffing his face into his hands once again. "I don't know how to deal with this guy! I mean, I feel like I can't even do anything without him reading my mind and analysing every move I make."

"He's a Spy. Maybe he can't help it?" Nurse tried suggesting in her calm voice. There was no way she could save the earlier pleasant conversation, but she could sure as hell try to fix this one. "I think you should write the message. I like that idea a lot."

"Yeah?" That seemed to cheer him up a bit. "I wanna keep it short, makes it mysterious. Like, a single sentence. He'll know who it's from, right?"

"Probably, if it's in French and you say the right thing. What do you wanna write?"

"Something like 'we should talk' or 'we should meet'."

Nurse ripped out a piece of paper from a notebook and cut it into a clean square with a scalpel because she had no idea where she had left the scissors. They thought it best if Scout was the one to write it, just in case Spy recognized Nurse's handwriting. When he was done, Scout folded the paper in half with the words 'peut-on parler?' scribbled on it, meaning 'can we talk?' in French.

"Should I slip it into his jacket when he's taking a shower?"

"Nah, then he'll think you were watching him naked. Just slip it under his door."

"Right." The Scout gulped loudly.

"Scared?"

"No."

"Good."

"Terrified."

"Okay, not good." She patted his back gently.

"What if –Jesus, what if he does actually... like me like that? What the hell am I supposed to do?" He said, making jerky movements in the air with his hands.

"I dunno, go out on a date?"

"What!? How!?"

"Well, that how it's done. You date, laugh, have fun, make out, have sex, whatever." She shrugged and made herself sound relaxed, hoping maybe it would rub off on him.

"Whatever?! SEX!?" Nurse actually heard Scout's breath hitch in his throat, which worried her a bit. "Sex?" He said, in a whisper this time.

"Not... not, if you don't want to, I mean..." Oh god, she had no idea what to say! She was stuttering like an idiot when she was supposed to be helping him. He was a guy after all! She had no idea what to tell guys, let alone ones who liked OTHER guys!

"Maybe you should just wing it! He's going to want sex eventually! He's a sleazy frog!"

The somewhat muffled voice that startled them both sounded like Scout's, only Nurse knew for a fact that it wasn't coming from her companion. There was a knock at her window a second later.

"What the f –"

"Don't even ask." She cut him off and made her way to the window, where she recognized a very familiar bandaged arm, holding a whole body dangling from her window.

With a sigh, she pulled the glass open, letting in the RED Scout, who bounced inside. This time, she made sure to look him over before starting to babble, just in case he was shot or amputated this time.

"Wassup." He jerked his chin toward her teammate, who in turn, stared at him, completely dumfound.

"N –nurse? What... why is he here?" Scout stammered, a blush creeping up his cheeks.

"I have no idea." She shook her head disapprovingly at her new guest.

"Hey. I told ya' I was comin' back." He grinned boyishly. "Oh by the way," he directed his attention to his counterpart, "I just saw the Spy heading downstairs from the window. You should go slip that note before he comes back."

"Did he see you?"

"No worries, toots. The guy didn't even look my way." He turned to the BLU Scout and grinned. "Probably distracted with that kiss an' all."

Nurse had never seen her Scout wear such an expression. His mouth hung open with his bottom lip quivering, like all the words were just falling out of his mouth before even being pronounced. His eyes were as wide open as his mouth, only they were filled with fear instead of unspoken words. As for his face, she had never seen it go that red, it was almost unnatural looking.

"W –were you listening?!" He snapped, his voice coming out in a high pitched squeal.

"Well yeah." The RED shrugged like it was the most obvious thing to be doing. "Couldn't just hang there the whole time. Got bored. Plus my arm started to hurt."

Nurse was at his side in a second, running her hands over the stained bandage. It had bled through, but the brownish color of the blood told her that it happened earlier in the day.

"You shouldn't strain it, like that." She mumbled, almost to herself.

The RED turned to her and grinned crookedly, his bright blue eyes scanning her entire form. "Sorry, darlin'."

It was only a matter of seconds before Nurse's face became as pink as her Scout's and as breathless too. That smile... she hated to say how charming it was. It made her insides melt, but that, she would never admit, not even to herself.

When the BLU Scout finally snapped out of his haze, he was up on his feet and jabbing a finger into his rival's chest.

"You... you shut up about it, alright? Don't fuckin' go around spreading rumors and shit. Understand?" His voice shook violently. As threatening as he was trying to sound, the other two in the room knew how terrified he was of having his secret revealed.

"Well, rumors aren't usually true, but this is, so..." The BLU Scout gritted his teeth together and growled, ready to pounce the second the RED ended that thought. "Nah, I won't tell anyone, relax, go do your thing."

"You..." He didn't know what to say to him. "You just wanna be alone with her." He mumbled, receiving a very stern look from the Nurse.

"Yeah? What if I do? I like talkin' to her! So what?"

"Fine, but I swear if you –"

"Seriously? I break her out, save her from dying and ask her to help me with my cut." He says pointing at the bandaging on his arm Nurse was currently unwrapping. "And you still think I'm goin' to hurt her?"

"I'm fine Scout." Nurse said softly, turning to her friend to spare him a quick smile. "Really. You can go slip the note."

"Sure?"

"Yes."

With one last suspicious glance to his RED counterpart, Scout grabbed the note and dashed off, letting the door close itself behind him.

"Okay." She said, yanking the dirty bandage away. "Why the niceness?"

"Niceness?" He asked, looking at her with faked innocence. He knew what she meant.

"No chucklenuts? No douchebag, retard, dipshit, fucker? Not even 'fag' after hearing what you heard? That's not like you." She said shaking her head. "What are you up to?"

"Nothin'!"

"Liar."

She fetched him a new bandage and started the cleaning process over. "That was sweet of you, though." She added. "He was scared. Still don't know why you did it, but it was nice."

"My brother once told me that if you were nice to a girl's friends, she'd like you better." He said.

"Yeah? Well, I think I like you more than enough already." She smiled, but did not look at him. "But don't ruin it. I was being serious when I said you helped him. He needed that push."

"Well, he's welcome." He shrugged and felt her knowing eyes on him.

"You didn't actually see Spy, did you."

"Nope. Just wanted to get him to leave." Shit, he thought. Was that suggestive? No... wait, was it?

She stopped and looked up to arch a brow at him. "You know, you can still talk to me when Scout's here. He won't... try to kill you or anything."

"Sure?"

"Yeah..." She slowly lowered her eyes again, resuming her work. "Lucky for you, I'm not best friends with Soldier."

Scout chuckled and leaned back into his chair. He stared down at Nurse, watching her work for a while, her soft and careful hands distracting him. Her brows knitted together as she concentrated on treating him, her pink tongue darting out ever now and then to lick at her dried lips. Scout swallowed loudly and began to fidget. Every time her skin brushed against his, he'd get goose bumps and he knew that eventually, being the observant girl she was, Nurse would notice this behavior of his and naturally, would come to some conclusions. Conclusions that Scout would end up denying, even though a part of him knew they were true.

He continued to watch her, taking in some more of the details he noticed. Such as how her mouth parted so slightly when she had to be extra meticulous. Or how the shorter strands of her brown hair that were tucked behind her ear would slowly slip and escape, falling in front of her eyes. That would have driven Scout crazy while running, but she would gently push those stray hairs aside and back into place. He watched her chest fall up and down as she breathed and wished that the stupid lights would stop humming so that maybe he could hear her inhale and exhale. Was that creepy? Probably.

She was wearing her usual V-neck cut BLU shirt, that only fell low enough to get a glimpse of anything interesting when she bent over to pick something up. Scout didn't really stare, but he knew that they were just the right size. On the other hand, he has probably watched her walk away way, drooling over her ass way too many times for his own good. It wasn't his fault she was blessed with such a thing! But she was short, almost like a child compared to the rest of the men. She was small and compact, making her look very rounded and chubby. Not to mention a small face. Her big brown eyes were lined with thick lashes, her nose was tiny and curved upwards and her lips were plump and made Scout shiver whenever she ran her tongue over them. Even the curve of her neck and the way her curls would fall over her shoulders enticed him.

To be honest, Scout had no idea what to make of her. For once, he had no opinion on the matter, if you could even call it that. Nurse was Nurse. That was it and that was all. He looked away to clear his mind of her, making his brain go as silent as the room.

He couldn't help it. He stared down at her anyway, taking in those features that were becoming more and more familiar to him.

It was just that one look. It was all it took and Scout was chuckling like an idiot to himself.

"God you're pretty."

Oh no.

"W- what?" Her hands froze and Scout was too afraid to look down at her.

Fuck! Fuuuuuuck!

"Nothin'! I... I, uh... you know, just sayin'."

"Y –yes... um, okay." She stood and put a hand over his new bandaging. "Thank you?"

She wore a worried look, but Scout was more preoccupied with the way her teeth were pressing into her bottom lip, oh so very gently.

Did he really say that! Did he really just –damn it!

"Huh? Oh...yeah. No problem..."

"Scout? Are you alright? You seem distracted." She even sounded worried at this point.

Scout risked meeting her gaze and suddenly, the air in the room was gone. He felt his face get hot and knew he wouldn't last longer here. Why was this happening? He was just fine yesterday... or was he distracted by the bleeding gash on his arm?

"Me? Yeah..." The rest of the sentence died on his lips as she brought one of her fingers up to her mouth and bit down nervously.

"I gotta go! Like, now!"

"Um... okay, sure."

"Thank you, again!" He almost fell over as he backed away to his window.

"Oh, well yes. You're welcome." She was blushing. Fuck, she knew something was up.

He pulled the window open, stuck one foot out and paused. He always had the last word and that never changed, no matter how flustered he was.

"See ya' tomorrow, toots."


	12. Chapter 12

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 12- Provoked

By, the Unlucky-Charm

**A/N: Hello readers! Here, have a chapter for being so lovely! This chapter, I'm really proud of, but only because I know you're going to hate me once you finish it. Not to worry! The plan for chapter 13 has been drawn and will executed soon enough. **

**PLEASE REVIEW! I can't go on with confidence if I don't have your feedback. Yeah, I'm sad like that. **

She had to push herself very hard to stifle a yell that morning when she woke up.

Medic was usually very respectful of her privacy and always kept her boundaries in mind when rousing her from sleep at 8:30 every morning. He would always come in through the infirmary, to which he had the key, and would knock on her bedroom door to wake her up for yet another work day.

On this particular morning, however, Nurse was not quite sure what had gotten into the man, because there he was now, standing over her bed, staring down at her with a wide, eerie grin that sent at least seventeen uncomfortable shivers down her spine all at once. It had not been fun, waking up to that and her heart still beat wildly against her chest.

"D –doctor?" She stammered, trying to sit up on her elbows. "What's going on?"

"Oh nothing child!" The man said, way too happily. "Just vanted to let you know that you could sleep in today!"

She frowned. She could hear some commotion outside.

"Well, I mean, if you guys are fighting maybe I should –"

"Oh no! No rush, child! No rush!" He said, pushing down on her shoulder when she tried to sit up properly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes! Sleep all you want." He said, brushing off the subject with a flick of his wrist.

"Because I'm already up now, so I can –"

"Sleep." The German repeated himself, much more seriously this time.

For a moment, the two just stared at each other. The doctor's lips were drawn into a straight line, his eyes narrowed as if he was suspicious of her. Something was wrong. Was he hiding something from her? Nurse never thought the man to be the type to cut her some slack when it came to work, let alone let her sleep in. Battles started at nine o'clock sharp and ended whenever the woman's voice said so. She were to wake up at 8:30 to get ready or eight o'clock if she wanted breakfast too. So why the sudden change?

A couple of seconds passed by and the man's expression changed completely. Gently, he shook his head and chuckled dangerously.

"Amazing." He said to himself.

"W –what is?" What the hell was he talking about now?

"For someone so little, you are quite resistant." He paused, his eyes slowly drifting downward to her shoulder. "It's taking quite a while to set in."

"Wha –" She followed his gaze and was cut off by her own gasp. A needle had been stuck into her skin, now hanging loosely and threatening to fall. The container was empty, except for a few traces of a transparent liquid. Nurse had an idea where it had gone to.

She knew what was about to happen before it did, but she still panicked seconds later when her vision began to blur and her head began to spin. The room whirled around her, making her sick. She tried to slowly lay her body back down, but it was like very single muscle in her body released at the same time, causing her to collapse ungracefully onto her mattress.

The last thing she saw was a puff of thick grey smoke and a hazy, red silhouette.

/

/

Nurse wasn't sure if she woke up to the splitting headache or if it was the pain itself that had woken her up. Either way, her head hurt and it was unpleasant.

She felt like her entire body had gone numb. She couldn't feel a thing and couldn't move a muscle, but her memory was intact. She remembered the Medic's odd behavior as well as the syringe protruding from her skin, but most of all, she remembered that red silhouette.

Nurse tried to open her eyes, but was met with an immense wave of head rush every time she did. She could barely make out her infirmary, but from what she could tell, she was alone. She was sitting on one of the chairs from the waiting area, her wrists bound together behind and around the back of the chair and each of her ankles were tied to one of the front legs. She was neither blindfolded nor gagged.

Nurse blinked rapidly to get rid of the darks spot blurring up her vision. She twisted and arched her neck as much as she could to get a good look around her. No, she was definitely alone in the room. Well, that's what she would have assumed if she were a little more ignorant about Mann Co. weaponry.

"Are you scared of me?" She asked, craning her strained neck backwards. It wasn't a question of arrogance. She wasn't trying to prove anything or impress anyone. It was an honest question, asked out of confusion and with naivety. She was getting tired of these games.

"And why would you think that, petite?"

She knew he would answer. She might not be very sure of herself, but he was the cockiest bastard she'd ever had the infortune of meeting and would take any chance of a comeback he could. His voice was coming from in front of her. She straightened her neck, trying to find a ripple or some kind of flaw in the transparency of the air.

"You drugged me." She said. "And tied me up."

"So?" It came from her left. She squinted at one of the corners where the windows met the concrete wall. The puff of smoke reappeared a short moment later, revealing a red clad Frenchman leaning against that same corner, cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"I've told you before, it's not necessary." She spoke, her voice lower, now that he was in sight.

"Hmmm?" He hummed as strings of snow white smoke escaped his mouth.

"You could walk me out at gun point." She said absent mindedly, watching his lips, mesmerized by the wisps flying in and out of them.

"Mmhmm."

"You could sit me down..." Her voice died out as his icy blue eyes darted in her direction. His expression remained placid, like he was totally uninterested in her. Maybe he just wasn't.

"Mmhmm." He kept on drawling as he pealed himself off the wall and began to step towards her.

"You wouldn't have to worry about me running away. I'm absolutely terrified of you." She lifted her head and dared to stare straight at him as she spoke. "I wouldn't move a muscle."

"I know." He smirked. "I have handled much worse than you, petite."

"Well, I must be some threat to you if you're putting in THIS much effort into capturing me, a girl half your size." She was using the oldest trick in the book, which she had learned from action movies and novels. If he hadn't already picked up on it, he would soon, unless she were very careful. She would provoke him, as discretely as possible. He was on her turf now and she could still hear the gunshots coming from outside; the battle was still going on, anyone could walk in and his time was limited. Four disadvantages for him and in her favor, right there.

She had a couple of choices. One, she would have to distract him until the workday ended or until somebody walked in. Two, if there was truly no hope of survival and he had some nasty plans for her, she would have to provoke him, drive him to the edge and make him move purely on emotion. If she wasn't going to make it, might as well make it quick.

"Silly girl." He laughed humorlessly. "You think this is effort?"

"Yes. I do." She lifted her chin. "You could have killed me in my sleep, easy."

He leaned down to her level, his hands behind his back. "That's not very fun." He cooed.

She narrowed her eyes in disgust. "It's not supposed to be, you sick fuck." She spat.

He didn't even give her a chance to draw in her breath after that last statement. His hand flew and hit her across the face. Her head reeled sideways and remained there for a few seconds. Her eyes had flown open and her breath had stopped short in her throat. The sharp stinging in her cheek was slowly dulling into a throbbing pain.

"I am not the one who writes messages in my own blood." He snorted. "Sick fuck."

The corner of her lips twitched at the memory, not sure if in amusement or pain. She turned to stare at him again, with wide eyes and an expressionless face. She was shaking underneath that mask. Shaking and trembling and crying her eyes out because this man was going to be the end of her. If not today, then tomorrow.

"You're still upset about that?" She asked, sarcastically sweet.

One might think she was digging her own grave, but that had been done when she had written the message. Now, all she was doing was climbing into her casket, waiting for the damn ceremony to start and hopefully come to an end as soon as possible.

For a moment, he looked down at her with his nose wrinkled underneath his red mask and a frown descended over his light blue eyes. His lips were drawn together and formed a perfect sneer. And at that moment, Nurse knew this man hated her as much as she hated him.

"Very." He growled and leaned back in.

He set one gloved hand behind her shoulder, gripping tightly at the back of her chair, while the other crawled into his jacket's pocket. Nurse closed her eyes and braced herself when she heard the rustle of clothing and a metallic flick, unsettlingly familiar.

"This will be like old times, yes?" She could hear the horrible satisfaction in his voice and it made her want to retch.

She didn't say a word and continued drawing in cleansing deep breaths, as if any of them could be her last.

"As much I love having you writhing and squirming against me as I cut you, I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice but to stay still this time." He spoke straight into her ear, his warm, smoke tinted breath running all over the side of her neck. Nurse threw up a bit in her mouth and wondered if she would actually end up vomiting from his words alone. How wretched he must be, Nurse thought, to actually make someone puke by simply talking to them.

Nurse had to suppress a gasp when she felt the cold metal press against her lips so suddenly. Her eyes snapped open in panic, only to see that he had his butterfly knife out, the blade held flat against her mouth.

"That doesn't mean I can't have my fun, though." He purred, pressing harder and harder.

She couldn't back down. Not yet. She had to find things to say, come backs, retorts, anything! She was quiet, soft spoken and usually, very polity, but what she had to become to survive this was the exact contrary. Loud, annoying, obnoxious... God, what could she say? How was she supposed to pull that off?

"You need to learn your place, my dear." He hissed, replacing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Nurse shivered at his touch as his fingers glided over her skin, barely making any contact. For a sadistic snake, he was quite gentle, maybe that's what was scariest about him.

"You were a prisoner and you are one now." He went on. "Did you really think you could fuck with us? With my team? With ME?" He paused and grinned to himself, as if just realising something.

"Our Scout might enjoy it, since he keeps coming back here every night." He chuckled. "Do you have some kind of trick you use in bed? There must be something, you have such a tight leash on the poor fool."

"I did no such thing!" She cried against the blade, appalled by the accusation.

"No? Hm, well I suppose the obnoxious child WOULD have bragged about it if he did get lucky." He shrugged, his eyes on her lips.

He was right. Scout would have bragged. He WAS obnoxious and maybe even annoying at times. Yes, Scout was her answer and if it worked out for her, the boy would have saved her life for the second time, without even being there to realise it.

"You're not very creative are you." She mumbled to herself, but she knew he heard him when she felt the blade go still.

She casually arched a brow at the weapon and then raised her eyes to meet his. "You already used this one on me and Scout, right? It's the same knife."

"And?" He asked, growing impatient.

"A bit boring, don't you think?" She said, absent mindedly.

It must have been the movement of her lips because he hadn't moved the knife at all, but somehow Nurse managed to nick her bottom lip on the side of the blade. The cut stung as warm blood gathered and dripped out of it, running alongside the blade and onto the handle. Judging by the amount she felt was running out of the small wound, it must have gone deep.

"Oh, petite, you seem to have hurt yourself." He started cooing again. There was something exceptionally disturbing about this man talking to her like she was a baby. He pressed the knife deeper in and she couldn't even open her mouth anymore.

"I know what you are trying to do." He purred. "It's not going to work. It is time for you to understand: I always get what I want and usually, I don't even have to try." With one last very hard push, he removed the weapon from her mouth and flipped it close again.

"Or maybe you don't want to try because your ego is way too big for your own good. You run away if you feel like you're going to fail." She was going for a nerve, simply brushing by it for now, but he would be feeling it soon.

She didn't like using this information. Someone had confided it to her after she had promised to never repeat it or bring it up ever again. As much as this was an emergency and Nurse was sure that the person would understand, she still felt an uncomfortable prick in her chest when she spoke of it.

"Oh, are we the psychologist now?" He snorted, balancing the weapon between two fingers and slowly pacing around her seat.

"No." She replied calmly. "But I think that if you love her, you should at least bother with pursuing her."

She heard the footsteps come to a stop behind her. She could stop here, but seeing as she was going to die today anyway...

"I mean, 8 sons, you can handle that right? You already know one of them..."

She heard the footsteps again, moving quicker than ever and before she knew it, he was in front of her again, pointing the tip of the same blade underneath her chin. His eyes were aflame with fury and his lips were stretched back into a horrible sneer, baring his gritting teeth.

"I mean, 8 kids is a lot, but whores will be whores, I suppose."

And that was it.

She felt the knife fall into her lap, quickly replaced by a set of strong fingers wrapping themselves around her neck and squeezing. The breath in her lungs was now trapped there. No air was coming out or going in as Spy clutched Nurse's throat tightly in his grasp. Her whole body became frantic with the loss of air. Her brain was in a panicked haze and her limbs would be flailing all over the place if they weren't bound to the chair. Her body jerked violently in her seat and at that moment, she knew this would be her end. She closed her eyes and felt the grip loosen slightly.

"You're pathetic." She spoke up before he could. "And the worse part is, you won't even do anything about it."

She could feel his hesitant fingers, pressing and releasing against her skin, a battle between a pained, passionate heart and a cold, calculating mind. The worst of inner struggles.

But Nurse felt no pity for him, even if his situation was one of the saddest she'd ever seen.

"You won't fight for her and yet you play the victim, don't you?"

"Shut up." He squeezed hard, sending her into a coughing fit.

"You're disgusting. Not even willing to give her what she truly deserves."

"I said –"

"You're a fool." She chuckled. "Did you really think she'd accept you? After all you've done?" She whispered, her voice uneven and shaking.

Spy plunged the tips of his fingers deeper into her skin, bruising and leaving marks. "Be. Quiet, child." He spat into her face, furious, loosing his patience and sanity. One more push...

"She'll never say yes. Ask all you want." Her voice was going hoarse, but she went on.

"You won't beg, you're too proud, I know. Even if you did, it would be hopeless." Her tone had taken a bittersweet turn, her words crawling into his head, finally hitting home.

Nurse watched the man before her, terrifying and deadly. His lips trembled in the straight line he had drawn them into and the glint in his usually bright blue eyes had disappeared. Even his posture had wilted, no longer straight and professional. Now, he was just a killer. A human being who could wield a knife. Nurse almost felt his pain, but decided to take them both out of their misery and make the final blow.

She forced her voice to steady itself and narrowed her tear filled eyes towards him, holding the man's gaze in place. Her words were no longer a whisper, but instead had become strong, sturdy and weighing.

"To her, the woman you love, you will always be the _monster_ who killed her son."

The movement was swift and probably an act fueled by passion and nothing else.

As Nurse's vision blurred, she managed to make out the knife come down, followed by liquid warmth overflowing around her neck. The blood would be everywhere and the scene would be ghastly, but she couldn't care less as she shut her eyes for the last time.

Her head fell forward as the blood drained from her. A horrible sight, but maybe a little odd, if you were observant enough to catch the small triumphant smile playing on her colorless lips.

/

/

They had all wondered why she hadn't come down to meet them like she did after every battle.

Scout laughed and suspected she had fallen asleep.

The older and wiser members of team BLU anticipated a rather grimmer fate.

They had noticed the RED Spy's absence and putting the pieces together now confirmed what they had been dreading all day long.

No one spoke of it, but the worried glances they shared spoke for themselves, loud and clear. They all waited for someone to say something or to at least make a move to stop the Scout, who was already skipping to the infirmary to wake her up.

The team followed behind, walking faster and more urgently than they would like to admit. They had to be there to control him, just in case he –they –were met with some unhappy surprises.

They climbed up the stairs in a subtle rush, but the Scout was already down the hallway and entering the infirmary when they reached the floor. Cautiously, they continued marching, but were only able to take a couple of steps before they heard the loud screeching sound of the boy's sneakers rubbing and coming to a halt against the tiled floor.

That alone was an answer to their suspicions.

They ran the short distance, some of them calling the young man's name, but receiving no answer. They had an idea of what was waiting for them, but they quickened their pace anyway.

At the door, they saw the Scout, his back turned to them and his left hand clutching the edge of one of the counters, supporting the rest of his body. His knees wobbled and his feet looked like they were about to slip under him.

As they turned the corner, his horror struck face was revealed, along with the gruesome scene his wide blue eyes couldn't unglue themselves from.

There wasn't an inch of white left of the linoleum floor that was not covered in liquid scarlet, at least not in the direction everyone was looking.

Once the last steps were taken by the members that had trailed behind, it was like the entire world had gone silent to watch what lay before them. They could have heard a needle drop to the ground at that moment.

They all stood there, watching the blood pooled around her. Her brown hair, now a tangled mess on the floor, was spread out around her head, wet and dripping. Her face, along with the rest of her, was chillingly pale, like she had been frozen. Her blank stare watched the ceiling, her eyes only slightly lidded and her torn lips were relaxed, maybe a slight quirk to them in the corners.

The skin around her wrists and ankles was reddened and burned, probably by the rope that lay next to her. She had been bound tightly, but someone had released her. It was obvious who...

Despite the usual eeriness of a dead body drained of its blood, nobody could take their eyes off the horror that was Nurse's neck, where a deep gash ran all the way across her throat framed and dotted with bruises. The wound was fresh, still a red so bright that the scene almost looked fake.

No one said a word until the silence was finally broken, by the gentle thud of Scout's knees finally giving in and hitting the floor. He went to her, on all floors, staining his shirt, his skin and his shoes with her blood. He didn't seem to notice as he gently pressed the back of his hand against her cold forehead, brushing away some strands of hair.

"No." He whispered. "No. No. No. No..."

Without even looking away from her face, Scout's hands blindly searched for hers in the puddle of blood and held the dead appendage to his chest.

The eight other men watched the Scout's arched back bent over her, shaking violently as he held back all the sobs and cries, replacing them with pure, white hot anger.

"Scout..." The Engineer said gently.

The boy didn't answer but ten seconds later, but then, he spoke in an inaudible mumble, almost to himself.

"Scout...?"

They heard the boy take in a shaky breath and straighten his back.

"I said, go get the Medigun."

Seven pairs of eyes turned to the Medic, as if they were waiting for the man to perform a miracle. The technology they had in their possession was extraordinary, but not limitless.

"Scout, I don't..." Medic knew it was over for her, but even he could not bring himself to just admit it out loud like that.

"She was a good lass. Brave." The Demoman tried, only to be met with the reddened and tearful face of the Scout.

"Shut. Up." He hissed at the Scot through clenched teeth and then turned to the doctor. "Go get it." He ordered.

He pulled himself up and stumbled almost immediately, his legs still noticeably unstable. Patches of blood stained his clothes and arms and his face wore a twisted expression, a cross between fury and grief. Scout looked like he was ready to kill, more than usual. The glimmer in his eye spoke of vengeance, the kind that could get him into some serious trouble. His hands shook as he grabbed at his hair in an attempt to steady them.

"It won't save her, boy." The Spy raised his voice, to break the silence for good.

"Shut up!" The Scout's fingers left his hair and went for the Frenchman's suit jacket. He held on to the fabric so tightly that his knuckles cracked and whitened, as if Spy was going to slip away, taken away from him just like Nurse. "It will." He sniffled. "It has to."

"Scout..." His gloved hand went up to catch his own. He had to be gentle in such fragile situations he wasn't used to. It wasn't in his nature. "Calme toi."

"No." He shook his head and his body shuddered with every sob. His bright blue eyes were drowning in the water, spilling over at the edges and wetting his pale lashes and his blotched cheeks.

"Help her." He begged him.

And Spy had never felt so useless in his entire life.

/

/

The medic returned with his healing gun and wasted away the energy on her dead body. It was pointless, but the Scout was still in denial, holding on to that one thin thread of imaginary hope.

"Give me that." He snapped when he didn't get the results he wanted and took the gun from the doctor. He sat, his legs crossed, in front of her and continued spreading the blue mist all over her.

Eventually, the members filed out one by one, some without uttering a single syllable, while as others whispered some quick prayers in whatever language.

"I'm sorry, private." Soldier's gruff voice had gone soft somehow. The man patted Scout's back before saluting and leaving.

Only three remained in the room; Spy, Sniper and Scout who had not left her side and still held on to the Medigun. Medic had stood in the hallway waiting for a while, but then walked away, not seeming to care if his weapon was being uselessly drained.

"Scout." Spy tried again, only to be rejected.

"Don't."

"We can't leave her here, mate." Sniper croaked, holding down any kind of lamentation that threatened to take over his self control.

"I'm not leaving her."

"We have to move her."

"No."

Spy sighed. It was no use. The boy would not budge. A part of him hurt to see the boy crying over a dead body, sitting in the fresh blood of said victim... this had happened less than an hour ago. Fuck, even her eyes were still open. He wanted to pull the boy away from this mess, make him forget it ever happened and lock him away until it was all over. But for now, he had no idea what to say.

"She's dead, Scout." He said. "There's nothing you can do."

"Shut up!" He yelled once more. He threw the gun aside, the blue mist now floating and disappearing into empty space. Scout got to his feet, pointing accusingly at the other two men. His eyebrows fell far over her eyes, forming a deep frown and contrasting with his helpless looking eyes, watching them with anger, but yearning for comfort.

"She's not..." He said, trying to convince himself more than anyone else. "She's not! Okay? She's going to be fine and –and I am going to KILL that bastard Spy so many FUCKING TIMES THAT –" He slammed his fist into the nearby cabinet, breaking through the wood.

"Scout, please –"

"No! No, this... DAMNIT, THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!"

"You can't change it, Scout."

"Fuck you, she's going to be fine!" He sobbed.

"She's dead, mate." Sniper said solemnly.

"SHUT. UP!"

He furiously wiped away the tears running all over his face with the back of his hand. His lip quivered when he spoke and all in all, he was a huge mess.

"You might not care, alright? But damn it, I... I owe her, okay!? I owe her this; to at least try and..."

He cursed as he finally let go and allowed his body to suffer the meltdown it had been denied the second Scout had set eyes on Nurse's dead body. He pressed his hand tightly over his mouth, trying to swallow it all back down, but it was no use.

Spy walked up to him and wrapped his long arms around his torso, pressing his head into his chest. He let the boy cry against him, stroking his back and running his fingers through his hair unsurely. He could hear him cursing, blaming himself and everybody on the bases for her death, apologizing... It scarred him a bit, more than it should have.

Spy nodded to the Sniper, who took the opportunity to approach the body. The Australian knelt down by her head, reaching out with his fingers to shut her eyes. Spy pressed the boy tighter against him, just in case he turned around all of a sudden and started yelling at the Sniper. Spy looked down at him, contemplating the light brownish blonde of his hair, how his chest heaved against his, how he could feel the wetness of his tears seeping through his clothes and how much smaller he was than him...

"Bloody hell." Sniper's mesmerized voice brought him back to earth.

The Australian had lowered his glasses on his nose, as if to get a better look at her. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung open.

"That ain't right..."


	13. Chapter 13

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 13- Purple

By, the Unlucky-Charm

All three men watched in awe as the withered body lost its color and opacity. Her skin became transparent and fuzzy, like a hologram, and Sniper's hand, earlier clutching her own, went through the flesh. Nurse faded slowly, but disappeared all of a sudden.

Scout's reaction was instant. He unlatched himself from Spy and ran toward the respawn room, the Frenchman in tow. They had seen in before, it happened on a daily basis. She had respawned, it was the only explanation. Body's never naturally disappeared after a death.

Sniper reached around the doorframe and banged his fist against the thin walls of the hallway.

"Oi! Get up! She's gone!"

One by one, the members of team BLU filed out of their rooms and gathered in the infirmary where the last of the blood was receding into itself on the floor, leaving it unstained. It was like the murder scene had never existed in the first place.

"Nurse respawned?" Heavy asked no one in particular.

"Impossible." Medic hissed, slowly approaching the area where her body had lain less than a minute ago.

Just then, Spy appeared in the doorway, trying hard to hide his panting and heavy breathing. He had run, something he tried to avoid doing and on top of it all, he had to keep up with the Scout. The task would have been impossible if he hadn't known where the boy was heading.

"She's not there."

"Where's Scout?" Sniper asked for the rest of the team. He knew very well where he had gone, his colleagues didn't seem to have a clue though.

"Outside." The Spy took a deep breath. "Heading for the RED base."

"WHAT?! Why?" Soldier shouted, woken up by the sudden mention of possible enemy fraternisation.

"To check their respawn." Spy sighed. "Just to be sure." He sat down to catch his breath, most of the team joining him in silence. Spy could read their faces like they were bright orange traffic signs. They were all worried, some more than others, but the majority seemed to be concerned about the Nurse's undetermined faith. Especially Sniper... but Spy still wasn't sure how deep that rabbit hole went.

Said Australian walked up to the wall of windows facing the enormous battlefield he either died or killed on every day. He cupped his hands around his face and pressed up against the glass. His eyes searched the dark for a small, fast moving blue dot. There was none. Knowing Scout, he was already there.

"She has to be there." Sniper said solemnly, his hot breath fogging up his vision. "Where could she have gone?"

/

/

Nurse woke up and decided she was getting tired of doing so. Every time she opened her eyes, she seemed to be met with a new, usually unpleasant, surprise. Now, not only were the memories of her brutal death flooding back, but she also had no choice but to wonder how she had ended up in a waiting room. After all, she HAD died. Was this heaven?

She looked around, examining her surrounding; uncomfortable chairs, a TV set on the news channel, where some woman's voice was going on about some war, outdated magazines and to top it all off, a mousy receptionist, hunched over some paperwork and not paying the least bit of attention to her.

Nope, definitely hell.

She stirred in her seat, trying to regain the feeling in her limbs. The chair squeaked and the woman behind the desk, who turned out to be younger than Nurse had thought, raised her head.

"Oh!" She said pleasantly. "Miss Nurse, you're awake!"

Her black fizzy hair had been drawn back into a tight bun, bringing out the roundness of her face. She had small features, framed with oversized half-moon glasses. She was smiling, but Nurse had a strong feeling that she was paid to do so. The girl in purple looked fake and Nurse made a mental note not to trust a word she said.

"The Administrator will see you now."

/

/

Scout banged on one of the many doors of the RED base with all his might. What he was doing was dangerous and very risky. He was unarmed and practically throwing himself into the enemy's hands. The odds of surviving this were not in his favor, but Nurse might be behind that door, which made her odds much lower than his own. He could only hope that luck would be on his side and the right person, at least the one he needed, would open that door.

"What the bloody hell are you doing outside... wait, you ain't our Scout." The RED Sniper wrinkled his nose at his blood stained clothes. His shirt was drenched crimson; the mistake was acceptable.

"No, I'm not, but could ya' call him out for me?" Scout asked impatiently, hopping and jogging in place. He couldn't hold still. The anxiety was killing him. Nurse could be in this very base, alone, scared and possibly in the company of someone who Scout was ready to kill with his bare hands. The thought of that same person made his skin crawl.

"And why would I do that?" The Australian said and crossed his strong arms over his even stronger chest. His eyes glided over Scout, taking in every detail of the boy's body. A lopsided smile appeared on his lips and Scout couldn't help but blush. Was he...?

"Because." Scout started in a growl. "Your fucking Spy killed her and now, I'm planning on ripping his face off."

"Yeah? And you... want to practice on our Scout?" He chuckled.

"No fucktard, I need to make sure he knows what happened."

"And why is that?" The man leaned against the door frame, his long legs stretched out in front of him to block the entrance.

"You know damn well, fucker." Scout glared at him. Was the bastard stalling? They couldn't possibly have known that she had respawned...

Scout never liked the RED Sniper. In ways, he was so much like their own, but really, the two were very different. Snipes was usually patient and calm with Scout. He kept his face composed and smiled rarely. He never got into anyone's business unless his opinion was requested and he made the best soup. This guy was dirty looking, definitely not in the literal sense, and smiled like a hyena ready to bite into you.

"Do I?"

Scout grunted. He didn't have time for this. As unprofessional as it was, he had to try.

"SCOUT!" He shouted, craning is neck around the man's large frame, making their chest's brush up against each other. The hallway looked empty as far as he could see. "SCOUT!" He yelled louder, overcoming the sound of the Sniper's low chuckles.

"What'r you laughin' about, jackass?"

"Nothin' love." He stared down at their chests and grinned. "Awful close, don't ya' think? No matter, don't mind me." The creepy stretch of his lips sent Scout's whole body shuddering uncomfortably. For a weirdo, he gave good advice though: ignoring him was a good idea.

"SCOUT!"

"Yeah?"

He started and spun around to face the voice that had replied from behind him. The Red Scout was walking towards them, his body glistening under the setting sun thanks to the film of sweat covering his skin. His shirt was soaked through, the fabric sticking to his body and making every curve of muscle apparent. The BLU ran to him and closed the distance. He grabbed him by the shoulders and guided him backwards, far away from the Sniper's earshot.

"What are you –" The Scout's annoyance quickly turned into panic when he saw the BLU's puffy, red eyes.

Scout nodded. "Nurse is dead."

Saying the words out loud felt like a kick to the stomach and as he watched the RED's reaction, it gave him an idea of what he might have looked like when he found her. His eyes went wide and round, the bright blue iris shining even brighter. Scout narrowed his eyes at him... Jesus, the guy was tearing up... His face had become paper white and his chest, earlier heaving, had gone still.

"Don't." He raised his hand to stop the tears. "Her body disappeared, but she's not in our respawn so..."

He waited for him to calm down, but it had to be fast. Nurse was still in danger...maybe.

The Red blinked at him and shrugged his hands off of him.

"C'mon." He growled, grabbed his wrist and sprinted.

"Move pervert!" RED yelled and jumped over the Sniper's legs. If the BLU had not been a Scout, he would have tripped over those limbs.

The two young men darted through the hallways of the RED base. The place was empty, but Scout could hear their chatter coming from other rooms. It was probably dinner time by now, but the thought of food at the moment was making Scout sick to his stomach.

They stopped in front of the respawn room and stared at the door for a while. Each one waiting for the other to make the move and open it.

"Pervert?" The BLU Scout asked.

"Nice guy." The other nodded, his voice shaking slightly. He reached out and set his hand against the door. "But that's the only thing stopping me form pressing sexual harassment charges."

And he pushed.

/

/

The "Administrator's" office was absolutely stunning. With a purple and wooden theme, it was chic, but not colorless and dull. The massive desk she was sitting before was polished and intimidating, which made Nurse wonder about its owner. She didn't look too scary. A thin, dark haired woman sat behind the desk, her purple clad arms crossed over her flat chest. She wasn't really elderly, but had as many wrinkles as she did gray hairs, which was a good amount.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Miss Nurse." She said, her voice very familiar.

The woman must have sensed her confusion, because she went on. "You might not recognize me in person, but you've listened to me give a play by play of the war each day."

Oh my God, Nurse thought, she's the woman from the intercom!

"Y-yes, you are." Nurse forced a smile.

"Poor thing, you might be wondering what you're doing here." She said, condescendingly.

"Yeah... I died." She mumbled. "I thought I wasn't in the respawn."

"Oh, I see you found that out. Well, let me explain." The woman stood and began to pace. Nurse wasn't physically tied up, but she sure as hell felt like she was. This immobility and pacing was reminding her of something she didn't feel like reliving just yet. It might be in the way she spoke or the way she held herself, but Nurse was starting to see how the desk matched its owner.

"You see, the respawn system is Mann Co.'s pride and joy. You can't blame them, it brings people back to life!" She paused to stare her down. "Literally."

"Each team had its own respawn system and each team member is connected to its team's respectful respawn. The RED Soldier can't respawn in BLU and vise versa. Understand?"

Nurse nodded rapidly. She knew all this and yet she felt like she was in a classroom with a very strict teacher.

"Good. Now, you are not connected to either, so you might be wondering how you're still alive." She stopped pacing again and smiled at nothing in particular. "Let me tell you, Miss Nurse, the Mann Co. Tech Department is a group of miracle workers. They do not cease to blow me away."

"Well, of course. The Medigun itself is quite amazing." She said softly.

The Administrator seemed to be pleased with her praise and gave her a grunt of approval.

"Yes, yes, but the Medigun was not what saved you." By now, she had done two complete laps around the room and sat back down on her leather chair. "Mann Co. was what saved you."

She paused dramatically and grinned when she saw that Nurse was as lost as ever.

"The RED and BLU respawns take in the official team members, but there is a universal system, a system that encompasses all the others. The Mann Co. respawn. THAT is what saved you. When the respawn was first introduced, Mann Co. didn't take any risks and installed a 3rd party respawn. If the RED or BLU system fails, the members are brought here." She explained, gesturing at her office.

"But that's not all it's for." She stated. There was something more to it, she could tell. The Administrator was not telling her everything. These Mann Co. people sounded sneaky, definitely not the type to go an extra length for the safety of their 'workers'.

The woman pouted and then quirked her lips. "You are quite the clever one."

"Thank you."

"Yes, well, it happens, sometimes, that Mr. Hale, or Miss Pauling, or maybe even I are required to pay our mercenaries a short visit. And you see –"

"Just in case one of them loses it?"

"I'm afraid they don't like us all that much." She rolled her eyes and leaned against the desk.

Everything was calculated, down to the last detail. It was almost a paradox, if you could even call it that. The Mann co. battlefield was probably the most safest and yet most dangerous place to be. The war that was being fought was as immortal as its participants. There was no winning this. As a new day began, everything was set back to zero. And all those men were trapped in this loop, an endless cycle of death and rebirth.

The Administrator glanced at the clock on the wall and then at the silver watch on her wrist. She arched a brow and smirked humourlessly.

"The bathroom is through the door on the right." She said without even glancing at her. "It's my private one, but I don't mind. You may use it."

"Um, I don't really have to –"

"You will in about 25 seconds."

"What –"

"That's about when the nausea sets in."

"Nausea?"

"Side effects of respawn." She explained and shrugged. "Small price to pay for getting your life back, don't you agree?"

Nurse would have, even if she still had no idea what the woman was talking about, but when it finally came, it came hard and fast. He bolted to the designated door and burst into a bathroom that just happened to match the grandness of the office. She felt bad throwing up in such a lovely toilet, but it was either that or the glass bowl used as a sink.

She emptied her stomach thoroughly, but it took the nausea another five minutes to disappear. Her head was spinning and she felt very faint. She drank and splashed some cold water on her face. It was no good, she needed nourishment, anything to eat, even if the thought of food was making her sick all over again. She coughed and spat up a bit in the expensive looking sink.

"Are you alright?" Administrator asked from the other side of the door.

"Yes." She croaked. "Does this happen every time?"

Nurse couldn't recall any of her patients every throwing up after respawning.

"Oh no, only the first few times. You get used to it, of course."

There was something off about the tone of her voice that made Nurse's skin crawl. A bitter-sweet drawl, condescending and clearly well rehearsed. The Administrator was not the type of person who was 'just nice'. When she smiled, Nurse could almost see the strain her facial muscles were suffering underneath the stretched skin. The young woman wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, despite the fancy towels on the counter, and readied herself for some negotiations. Mann Co. had saved her life, apparently, and from the looks of it, there was a price to pay for such a favour.

When she stepped back into the office, the woman was sitting behind the desk again.

"Are you better?"

"Yes, thank you." She muttered and sat back down. "Is there... anything else? I'd like to go back now, Scout must be worried."

"Oh yes... you made friends." She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"I'd like to go back to him."

"And you might." She said. She had made it sound reassuring, but it was anything but. It sent an uncomfortable shiver down her spine. 'Might'... that word alone was threat number one.

"Might?"

"If you turn out to be agreeable, Mann Co. will be more than happy to let you do as you please."

"And if I don't?"

The Administrator fixed her with her icy gaze and then sighed dramatically.

"Miss Nurse, you have to understand. This company isn't very... public, if you know what I mean." She paused and shook her head. "You know too much."

"I see..."

"Do you? That's wonderful child, but I'm afraid it's not enough." The practised tone was slowly being stripped away as her patience ran out.

"What do you want?" Nurse was going cold as well. There was no use being polite with the person whose every word was an underhanded threat.

She sat back in her oversized leather chair and crossed her arms over her chest. Her lips thinned and her eyes were challenging, daring Nurse to even try and argue with her. In the end, she was just as bad as the Spy. Having her life back was great, but she had her trapped now. She was in danger, she was so from the beginning and if this purple woman turned out to be a snake like the masked man, all she had to do was handle her the same way. Nurse had a terrible gut feeling that this frail thing could get her killed more easily and maybe even faster than any of the mercenaries. While they were only pawns, fighting with weapons, she had some sort of power over them. As strong and talented as they were, the men of BLU and RED were at the bottom of the food chain.

"Am I to understand that you are under the employment of the BLU doctor?" She spoke rapidly, meshing the words together.

"Yes." Nurse was taken aback by the dry professionalism, but refused to falter.

"Hmmm..." She unhooked one of her hands from the knot of her arms and slid a pad of paper and a pen across the desk.

Nurse blinked at the stationary. The Administrator wasn't sparing her an explanation and what had to happen next might be obvious to a lot of workers in the business world, but Nurse was as lost as ever.

"And um..." The Administrator cleared her throat. "How much is he paying you for your services?"

Uh oh.

Nurse was terrible at this. Was she supposed to lie? Write the right amount? What if they were testing her and already knew how much she made?

Fuck.

She wrote down her salary and slid the pad and pen back to her. The only reaction she got out of the woman was a twitch at the corner of her lips. If she was so amused by the amount she made, there was no surprise. Mann Co. didn't look like it was going bankrupt any time soon.

The Administrator ripped out the sheet and scribbled something on the new page. When the pad was back on her side, Nurse but glanced at the number and almost yelped. Just... so many zeros.

"What's this?" She squeaked.

"The amount Mann Co. is willing to pay you for your services."

"Oh." Nurse said breathlessly. That light-headedness was coming back.

"Your salary, Miss Nurse. If you accept the offer, that is." She leaned in again, her flat chest pressing against the edge of the table in anticipation, eyes wandering over the paper as if she was double checking what she wrote. Hell, maybe an extra zero accidentally slipping in wasn't such a huge problem for these guys.

"Are... are you giving me a choice?" She pressed her hand against her chest, a tad overwhelmed by the number on the paper. Her voice still refused to level itself.

"What do you think?" Her lips stretched into a sinister grin as she pulled out a new, larger sheet of paper from one of the drawers and slammed it in front of her.

Nurse shut her eyes and took in a sharp breath like she was about to take a dive underwater. Dear Lord, what had she gotten herself into? She was being forced to sign a contract. Accept a murderer's job. When, at what point, did this become normal to her? How did she get sucked into this? These people were criminals and she had become one of them, or at least was going to be officially once that paper was sighed... _if_ it was signed.

It wasn't fair. She was to become a doctor, a paediatrician. What the HELL was she doing here? How was she supposed to explain this to her family? That is, if they ever found out.

"You're in way too deep, Miss Nurse."

"I know." Her voice trembled with dry sobs fighting to escape.

A moment of silence passed during which Nurse kept her eyes shut. It was soon interrupted by the woman in purple, clearing her throat.

"You know what I think, Miss Nurse?" Her voice had gone surprisingly gentle.

She narrowed her eyes at her. "What?" She didn't want to know what this woman thought. She didn't care. She wanted out of this, but the woman spoke so very slowly, Nurse couldn't help but listen.

"I think the only reason you're distressed is because you feel it's right to be." She said.

The sentence hung in the air. Nurse felt the weight of it hit her chest hard because it was like all the bone there just shattered, piercing and breaking through all the tissue and organs. The true meaning of it took its sweet time settling into her head, but when she finally understood what the Administrator had meant, her entire being was hit with a wave of fear. Not because of the contract, the company or the threats, but because it was true. If it weren't, it wouldn't have made so much sense to her.

"I don't... No, this isn't right! None of this is!" She said, unconsciously addressing herself more than anyone.

"Oh please, you didn't seem to care when you smashed the RED Demoman's head in!" She scoffed.

"That was self defence!" She cried.

"And was the bloody message on the wall?"

Her words came to a halt in her throat and she felt like she was about to choke on them.

"Miss Nurse, Mann CO. does not wish to trouble you."

Bullshit.

"But really, can you imagine yourself in an office? Poking at sick people, breathing their germy breaths and listening to their problems, day after day?"

"Yes!" She raised her voice.

"Of course you do. You do because it's the normal this TO do! But I want you to really think about it. There's something wrong with the picture; two things that don't belong together."

"What!?" She stood and slammed her palms against the desk. "Is it wrong that I'm earning an honest living? Leading a normal, legal lifestyle? A _healthy_ lifestyle?! That I'm comfortable?! That I'm SAFE?!"

An eerie grin broke across her lips. Her eyes, alit with a certain deviousness that Nurse had seen before, gleaming in the eyes of her mercenaries, watched her proudly. She had hit the nail on the head, without even realising it.

"Safe." The woman hissed like it was a disgusting concept. "_That's _what's wrong."

Abruptly, she shot up from her chair and circled the desk. She planted her skinny legs next to her and removed a pen from her breast pocket, slamming it against the contract in one swift movement. When Nurse did not budge, she leaned in, her lips uncomfortably close to her ear and her words, violating and painful.

"You've had a taste of this life, Miss Nurse. We gave you but a lick, but you didn't hesitate in sinking your teeth in." Her smoke tinted breath warmed the skin around her ear.

As she walked through the door, she paused at the threshold to grab onto the frame with slender fingers and an iron grip.

"We _could_ take it away from you, of course..." She sighed, letting her hand drop to her side.

"But you'd spend your life looking for it."

/

/

Nurse was alone.

She was alone in the room and she was alone in this world.

And if she wasn't , then she pitied this other person who also sat in an opulent office, waiting on his or herself to make a decision. Even if there might not be such a person out there, she muttered an inaudible "sorry" for them.

The silence was torture, because even her mind had gone speechless. A dull ringing began in her ears, spreading through her entire brain as if to emphasize the absence of thought.

So Nurse laughed.

She threw her head back and laughed. Tears stung her eyes and dampened her cheeks as they fell. Heavy sobs racked her body and the laughter strained her abdominal muscles. Her sides began to hurt after a while, but that's how life was anyway. You live it with a smile, no matter how painful it is.

She was going crazy, dangerously close to losing it completely. They were the ones who pushed her to this psychological limit, taking turns in peeling away her sanity, shred by shred. And now she dangled over the edge, on her own, with the tempting eternity of emptiness beneath her feet. She could let go anytime and just let her fall to end it once and for all.

But she didn't want to die.

The thought made her laugh even harder. What was death to her anyway! She did it once, hell, she could do it again. There was something eerily calming about it. A certain serenity that spread through your entire body and engulfed all the pain. Dying... she could handle the dying. Especially _their_ definition of 'dying'. It was a game to them and death was their favourite toy. Death; the word had lost its meaning, its strength. It is not to be taken lightly and yet...

The blood, the guts and the gore; she was still living through the shock of what she had seen on that battlefield. She never got used to it, but was simply still frozen in that first blow. She accepted it all, but only because she still couldn't believe it. It was all still so unreal to her. She acted like everything was okay, but damn it when she looked at that scar on her arm, something in her brain would just... snap. Every single fucking time.

The danger, the constant fear, the pain and the memories that would haunt her for the rest of her life. They were there, but what life?

Her roaring laughter died down into a fit of giggles. What life? It was all gone now!

The smirk fell and all that was left was the grief as she mourned her future, dead and gone.

"She's right you know..." A small voice in the back of her mind awoke for the mass of sleeping thoughts.

"I know..." Nurse gasped as another series of sobs shook her.

A life without guns, war, death... It's what every person needs.

But she was not 'every person'. Administrator had made that clear.

That same fear, that danger that brushed at her heels every single day, that made her heart race and her breath quicken, the idea of constantly being watched, of being part of this warfare...

She hungered for it.

The adrenaline in her veins as she made her escape, that _raw_ arrogance that twisted her face into a sneer as she outsmarted them all!

And that message? She didn't regret it, she never had. She rejoiced in it! She had won! Her! A young girl versus a group of nine male mercenaries.

And. She. Won.

She wanted it now. It was too late to turn back. The taste of it was still on her tongue and even if the Administrator claimed she had already sunk her teeth in, Nurse still wanted to chew and swallow. She wasn't ready to leave them. Not yet, maybe not ever. Something inside her stirred. It clawed and scratched at her insides, wanting to get out, wanting to have a gun pointed at its head, a bullet graze by or have a knife so close to its neck, it'll cut if it swallowed. Just for that feeling. Just to feel that intoxicating rush when you get away. It wanted it. _Nurse_ wanted it. She couldn't go back, now that she knew what it was like.

A smile broke across her face, so very wide it hurt. A smile like no other. An insane grin that bore all her teeth, showing them off as if they were fangs, ready to bite.

The pen trembled in her hand, but her signature was clear and curvy.

As she walked out of the room, the women in purple stared at her intently.

"What was the second thing?" Nurse asked, watching them from the corner of her eyes.

"Excuse me?"

"The second thing wrong with the picture. Safe was the first thing..."

The Administrator grinned eerily and chuckled.

"Why, that would be you, Miss Nurse." She said, way too pleasantly.

"Yeah... I thought so."

The two women in purple nodded at her and Nurse mirrored their horrible smiles. She has repeated it to herself several times and will repeat it over and over again: they were monsters, the lot of them! From BLU to RED to purple!

And now, she was one too.


	14. Chapter 14

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 14- Pervert

By, the Unlucky-Charm

**A/N: Hello readers! Here's a new chapter for you. This is going to be a rather calm one. No action, no killing, no weird shit going on here. Mostly conversation, maybe some character development. PLEASE read the second author's note at the end of the story. Thank you!**

**BLU Sniper**

When the knock at the door shook his van at 2 in the morning, he sighed, hoping that it was loud enough for the person on the other side to hear and take a fucking hint.

There was only one person who knew he'd be up at this hour and Sniper definitely did not feel like facing him. He was tired. He was always tired, mostly because sleeping never came naturally to him. He always had to force the rest on his body, which ended up rejecting it most of the time. Doctor called it insomnia, but this bastard called it an excuse to intrude on him.

He shut his eyes and waited. He hoped with all his heart that he would go away, but lying to himself wasn't going to do him any good. The knock came again. He didn't even have to open the door to know it was him. He recognized his knock. His fucking _knock_. That alone scared him. He never wanted this to become familiar to him. It was the one thing he had tried hard enough to avoid, but the bastard forced it on him for some reason and now here he was, recognizing his fist against the door.

He dragged himself off of his bed and unwillingly opened the door. He could try ignoring it and leaving him out there, but he'd break in. He'd done so in the past.

"What the hell do you want?" He grunted, rubbing at his eyes, trying to make it seem like he had roused him from his sleep.

"Aw, why so cold love?" The RED Sniper said, grinning full-toothed. "I know you weren't asleep, you ain't foolin' no one, by the way."

"You're not supposed to be here." He said and let his hand fall back to his side in defeat. He wanted to close the door in his face. He hated that smile, but only with his mind since every other fiber in his body was too busy being drawn to it. It was a simple stretch of facial muscle, but it had so much power over him, making him so very vulnerable. Sniper had tried to fight it, convincing himself that he had such will power. He didn't. He didn't fight it anymore, it would be in vain after all. Instead, he had found a new method where he shielded himself from it. If he didn't look, it wouldn't affect him right?

Wrong.

He chuckled. Husky, low and incredibly seductive. The sound invaded him through his ears, painting the picture of his face, his grin, behind his closed eyes. There was no use escaping him anymore. He knew Sniper better than he knew himself. He was a man of habit and the RED had picked up on his little routines rather quickly, catching him when he was alone. It was harassment, but labeling it wouldn't make much of a difference.

"Relax, everyone's asleep. No one's gonna know." He wrenched the door from Sniper's grip and walked past him into the van.

The door shut itself, leaving Sniper staring at it, frustrated, as if it was its own fault that the RED got in. He wanted to go after him, push him out, tell him to leave, but his situation was some sort of a paradox. The only way to get rid of him was to use physical contact, but the closer he got to the man, the more he felt his strength strip away and fall to the floor. The RED Sniper empowered him in ways that were beyond his understanding, but his counterpart seemed to comprehend them well enough to be able to use it against him every chance he got.

It was best to stay away from him, as far as possible. The more distance he created between them, the more comfortable he would feel. Of course, being trapped in a cramped camper with him wasn't a very convenient place to be if being far from him was what he was aiming for.

"Hear your Nurse is back." He said and to Sniper's dismay, sat on his bed.

His statement was clearly made to fuel some sort of conversation between them, but Sniper's undivided attention was entirely on the area he was sitting on. His eyes were stuck on the sight as his brain debated on whether or not he should make a comment.

There. That one simple action created a whole new dilemma for the BLU.

He didn't want him sitting there. He could smell his cologne, mixed with his intoxicating scent from where he was standing. The scent was already spreading all around the camper, Sniper didn't want it intertwined in his sheets as well. He'd never fall asleep, not that he could in the first place, but this would just make it worse. He wouldn't even be able to lay down, knowing his body had been in that same exact place just moments before. It would be as if he was laying right next to him. Every time Sniper inhaled, that musk would take over his nose and remind him of him, startle his mind and trick it into thinking he was nearby.

"Don't sit there." He blurted out. He shouldn't have. It gave him away. He would mock him now, tease him, but it was either that or have the ghost of his presence haunt him throughout the night.

He arched an inquisitive brow at him, his wolf-like grin stretching to the side into a lopsided smile and his oversized canine pressing into his bottom lip slightly. It was one of the first things he had noticed about the man when he saw him up close. His canine teeth were larger than most people's, but instead of disfiguring him, it just added to the power he constantly exerted on him.

"Why not? Don't want me in your bed?" He teased.

"No. I don't. Now, get off." He was trying to be curt with him, assert his authority , but God, the way he was looking at him... Sniper felt naked.

Slowly, the RED rose from his seat, without even breaking eye contact, not even for a second. He kept his smile on. He was humoring him. He didn't _have_ to get off the bed. Either way, that's all that mattered to Sniper. When it came to this guy, he has learned to push aside his dignity and take what he could get.

"Didn't think you were a liar, mate, but we'll talk about your sexual frustrations later, yeah?"

The blush spread like wildfire and Sniper felt as if someone was trying to asphyxiate him with a burning hot towel over his face. Not only was he noticeably heating up, but the air in the room seemed to have disappeared as well. The BLU shot him the dirtiest look he could muster, trying to hide his surprise at how direct his rival had been.

"What the hell do you want?" He growled. He could look as angry as he wanted to, the RED could read him like a book. The man crossed his arms over his chest and stared the BLU down like he was a hot piece of ass at a bar, a smug look plastered on his face. He had him right where he wanted, but then again, when did he not?

Sniper's body went rigid and ready as his instincts kicked in. A small part of him was yelling at him to stand in a fighting stance, in case his counterpart made a move, no matter the _nature_ of the move.

"Just wanna talk." He shrugged.

"'Bout what?" He eyed him suspiciously, but that just amused the RED all the more.

"Oh, I don't know... Nurses... Scouts... Nurses and Scout together, doing this and that..."

"What the hell are you going on about? Are you drunk again?"

The RED Sniper's arrogant expression faltered at the question, but only for a second.

"No, I am not. I just want to talk about the Scouts and the Nurses."

"Your Nurse hasn't even arrived yet!"

It was true. She was supposed to be coming any day now and everyone on both bases had very mixed feelings about it. Personally, Sniper didn't give a damn. He was just glad their own Nurse was okay. Poor thing had stepped out of that black car that had pulled in front of the base last night looking dead tired and nauseous. She didn't say much before collapsing on the sofa, but enough to let them know Mann had hired her and she was an official class. The next morning, the Administrator announced off days until the RED Nurse arrived, which came to a surprise to those who hadn't figured it out already.

"No matter..." He drawled. "We'll leave her for last, okay?"

"Whatever, get on with it, then."

Sniper was downright pissed, but it did not stop his rival from getting what he wanted out of him. He knew the power he had over him and used very little of it, just to show off how that "very little" went such a long way. But little was something the RED was not. He might not tower over him, but height was not what was intimidating about him.

"Well ya' see... our Scout seems to be... um..."

"A nuisance?"

"Enamored."

"Same thing." The BLU snorted and looked away.

At that, the RED snorted right back.

"Right. Obviously, _you_ would think like that." He rolled his eyes at him.

"Watch it, RED. What're you gettin' at?"

"Nothin', Jesus. We're not talking about us right now." He sighed, as if the BLU was being the difficult one.

"There is no 'us'!"

"I said we're not talking about it!" The RED raised his voice, silencing him and maybe anyone who ever heard him speak that way. Sniper knew when to shut up with this guy, but he never understood where he drew the line at. This guy was slimy and perverted, but whenever that one specific subject even threatened to come up, he got all defensive and upset about it. There was no 'them'. There was never a 'them'. They were never an item or anything of the sort. He could harass him all he wanted, the BLU would never agree to it. Ever.

"He seems to really like her." He went on, his voice calm and casual. "He sneaks off to see her at night, but you probably know that already."

Sniper didn't say anything.

"How about her?" He asked.

Sniper didn't want to talk about this. He didn't want to answer, not only out of spite and stubbornness, but because it was his own little way of rebelling against the forces of the RED Sniper. Besides, he didn't feel comfortable talking about a teammate behind his or her back.

Once again, he kept his mouth shut.

"You might want to start talking." He said, way too relaxed for an underhanded threat.

"And if I don't?" Very stupid question. He knew damn well what would happen.

The RED Sniper grinned again. "We just might go back to 'us' since you seem so very eager to today."

"Oblivious." He grumbled in defeat.

"Excuse me?"

"She's oblivious." He repeated, louder this time. "Oblivious to his feelings and maybe even to her own. Happy now?"

"Hardly." He snorted. "Is she blind? The kid risks his life every night to go and see her."

The BLU Sniper wasn't sure what it was, but there was just something about his tone of voice that time, something a bit off, that caught his attention. He blinked at his counterpart, trying to reverse the roles and read _him_ for a change. He looked... angry? No, he wasn't really angry, more like upset. Disappointed?

"Are you... Wait, do you actually _want_ something to happen between them?" Sniper dared ask. He was taking a risk, not knowing a clue what his reaction could possibly be.

"I'm just saying it's ridiculous she hasn't realized yet." The RED looked away and mumbled.

"Oh God, you are!" Sniper chuckled humorlessly. "It's not gonna happen mate. BLU and RED, remember? But hey, maybe he'll take a liking to the new Nurse, yeah?"

"Whatever. I don't care. Just thought it'd be interesting. Something out of a reality TV series, you know?" He explained, without even losing his cool. The guy just admitted to having rooted on his Scout and their Nurse and yet he acts like it was the normal thing to do.

"Sure, mate. Whatever you want. Never thought a pervert like you could be such a hopeless romantic." Sniper said sarcastically.

_That, _the RED did not seem to like very much.

"No." He said and stepped way too close. Sniper could feel the heat radiating off of the man's body.It was as though the warmth itself was separating into tendrils that grabbed onto him, pulling him closer.

He resisted it with all his might. His entire body told him to step closer, press himself against him, let the warmth and the body it was coming from envelop him entirely. That's what he wanted after all, right?

But Sniper even resisted himself. He listening to his mind. His sensible mind that told him not to give in to temptation. At least not this kind. It was wrong, especially with someone like _him_.

In the end, his efforts were in vain. It didn't matter how much will power he possessed and how well he could control himself, because after all, everything depended on not what he wanted, but what the RED wanted.

And all the bastard had to do was take step forward.

"You seem to have misunderstood me, mate." He whispered into his ear. The RED had his chest pressed against his, his arms on each side of him, clutching onto the counter he was being pressed against, trapping him. Sniper gulped loudly, only to suppress the shivers that itched to run through him. There was nothing to gulp down after all; his mouth had gone dry.

"I _like_ the romantics. They entertain me. They're pathetic and will do the craziest things. _I_ am not a romantic, sorry to say."

The BLU Sniper shut his eyes and prayed his rival didn't hear how his breath hitched in his throat, or how his bones shook with need or even how all of his muscles cried to touch him.

"Forever the pervert, _love._"

/

/

**Nurse**

Nurse was awoken early in the morning by the sounds of a clumsy Scout leaving from the window, only to find another one laying on her bedroom floor. They had probably stayed there after she had fallen asleep, like her very own guard dogs.

She smiled at the sleeping face, being reminded of the life changing choice she had made but a day ago. She didn't regret it one bit. Nurse could no longer imagine waking up and finding herself Scout-less. In a way, she believed he was the reason why she ended up staying. Or at least part of it.

Even when she had been called to the Medic's office, Scout refused to leave her side. He walked her all the way, apologizing for every stupid thing he could think of, mostly for having let in the RED after she had fallen asleep.

"Guy was fuckin' worried. Felt a bit bad, ya' know? He just wanted to make sure you were okay." He had explained, even if Nurse really did not need an excuse.

Eventually, she was able to shake him off. She didn't need him in there, especially since she felt like the conversation was not going to be a happy one. When she knocked at the door, the 'come in' came almost instantly, as if the German could feel her presence. She walked in to find him sitting at his desk, the papers in front of him illuminated by the dim lamplight. Other than that feeble source of light, the room was dark.

"Sit down." He told her.

Medic's office was very different from the Administrator's. His desk wasn't as grand and it looked very out of place. It had a classic look, but its surroundings were purely scientific, with white walls, white floor tiles, metal beds and chemically cleaned counters.

"There is one thing I need to know." He said, bringing his hands together on his desk and leaning back in his chair. "Did they threaten you?"

"In a way, yes." She answered immediately.

"They did not want to let you go."

"Yes sir. They said I had seen too much already."

He smirked. "You do not need to call me sir, I am no longer your boss."

"If it's not too much trouble, I would still like you to be." She said hesitantly, unsure if saying such a thing was appropriate or not.

Medic arched a brow over his round spectacles. "And why is that?"

"I still need the guidance, sir. I obviously don't expect you to keep paying me, but I would appreciate it if you kept me as your... am I an apprentice or is there another name for it?" She asked sweetly, tilting her head to the side.

"Yes, apprentice is fine, child." He said quickly, brushing off the question. "But you see, I can't help but feel that this is my fault."

"Oh?"

"After all, I was the one who dragged you into this mess. You would have never accepted the position if you knew what you were getting into. I tricked you." He stated the facts calmly. Nurse knew he didn't feel bad about it, but was probably just letting her know that he was aware of what he had caused; apologizing, in a way, because he knew it was right to.

"Yes, I guess you did." Nurse shrugged and stood up.

"And I can never thank you enough."

And with that, she left his office, without even glancing back to see the priceless look of utter confusion etched on the doctor's face.

/

/

Nurse loved nights like these and felt like she hadn't had one in ages. She was cosy in her baggy sweatpants and tank top, folding away her laundry as she listened to Scout trying to read one of her French books out loud. He was progressing exceptionally well and she was sure Spy would be very impressed if he ever got the chance to witness one of their lessons.

She sighed and took in a deep, cleansing breath that rushed through her lungs. The air in the infirmary was cool and clean, thanks to the window she had left open. Of course, it served for other purposes to... some she would never admit to and others mostly concerning fresh air.

A small smile crept up her lips. She could still hear him behind her, reading away with his cute accent and awkwardly pronounced words.

"...ensuite, il trouva que –HOLY SHIT!"

That was definitely NOT French.

Nurse dropped her underwear and spun around on her knees as she grabbed the pistol she had tucked into her pants that Scout had brought her. She was down on one knee, pointing the weapon in her Scout's general direction with her hair falling over her face.

"Dude, you should really stop doing that. Can't you knock?" The BLU sighed and went back to his book with a frown on his face. He still wasn't comfortable with the idea of having the RED Scout in their base, especially in Nurse's presence.

"You don't knock on windows genius, you knock on doors." He said as he climbed into the infirmary, closing the window behind him. "You pointin' it at me?"

"Sorry." She said and stood up, stuffing the weapon back into her sweats.

The RED Scout grinned his famous boyish smile and sat down on the chair next to his BLU counterpart's.

"That looks like my pistol."

"It's mine." Scout spoke up, eyes still gliding over the pages of the book. "She needs something to protect herself with until her own weapons come in."

"Yeah, they're going to havta design a whole new set for ya', now that you're your own class." He said and winked at her.

Taken aback, she pressed her hand against her chest, as if she was holding all her insides in place so that they wouldn't just melt after witnessing that. That crooked smile, the glint in his eye, Nurse wasn't sure what it was, but the boy was growing on her.

"Which also means we're gettin' our own Nurse, baby! Yeah!" He whooped and shot his fist in the air in triumph. "Bet she's gonna be a babe!"

And just like that, it all came crashing down into the pit of her stomach as fast as it had appeared in her chest. Her hands stopped moving as all of her attention turned to the RED. She could see her teammate from the corner of her eyes, frowning and glancing at the both of them, back and forth. She knew what he was thinking, that he could see right through her, but she wasn't even going to try and hide her feelings at this point, especially since the RED seemed too be completely clueless about them.

"Babe?" The BLU said, shooting him an unimpressed look from underneath his hooded lids.

"Yeah! Tall, blonde, blue eyes, nice ass, nice tits, with that tight white once piece outfit with the top two button hanging open and –"

"How do you know that's what she looks like." The other Bostonian cut in before his counterpart started drooling on the armrest. "You have one hell of an imagination, brotha'."

"Whateva'." He brushed him off with a wave of his hand, before he cracked his signature smile once again. "Just excited, gonna finally have a chick on the base."

"Just don't get your hopes up, man."

"I bet she's gonna be so hot. You can't even _understand_ how freakin' excited I am!" He practically squeaked.

This time, her Scout did not answer. She continued folding her laundry silently, even when she felt her teammates eyes turn on her once more. She spotted his inquisitive gaze from the corner of her field of vision. Was he waiting for some kind of reaction, a comment on her part? He wasn't going to get one. She was confused enough already, she didn't feel like racking her brain trying to identify the source of the sharp pricking at her chest and the dull soreness that had suddenly appeared in her gut.

Of course she knew where those feelings had come from and what they meant, but she was too scared to actually admit it to herself. She hadn't been jealous in such a long while, but there was no mistaking it this time. It was the only way to explain this undetermined dislike she suddenly developed for the mystery RED Nurse, babe or not.

"You give him that note, by the way?" He addressed the BLU Scout, who blushed fiercely and noticeably, despite his desperate attempt at hiding behind his book.

"Y –yeah." He stuttered a bit, his tone unsure and nervous.

"And?"

"And? Uh, I think he's been out for a while now. Haven't seen him around. I doubt he's found it yet."

"Oh yeah, ours has been out too. Forgot." He nodded. "Sorry man."

"Out?" Nurse asked, breaking the silence she had been maintaining by herself.

"Yeah, they leave for some outside work every now and then." Scout explained, finally giving up on the book and setting it aside.

"Just the spies?"

"Yup. They're the only ones Mann trusts won't get killed outside. They get these jobs sometimes. Private employers I think... I remember our frog calling it that. Anyways, I think he's back tonight if I remember right." He shrugged. His words had barely left mouth when the BLU suddenly sat up in his seat like an eager puppy hearing its owner at the door.

"Really?"

"Yeah." He smirked cockily. "You can go runnin' to him if ya' want. I won't stop ya', dude."

"I'm not..." He muttered and sank back into his seat. If he hadn't thought of it already, he was definitely considering it now. But one look at the Nurse's pleading gaze, he knew she wanted him to stay this time.

When the RED Scout finally left, he went to her. He sat down next to her, real slow and gentle and began balling some socks together.

"You wanna talk about it?" He asked, when he felt the time was right and the silence had stretched on for long enough.

"About what?" She replied way too softly, her voice cracking here and there. She was lying and feigning obliviousness.

"Oh come on, Nurse. I doubt she's going to turn out to be that pretty." He tried to help, but in the end wasn't sure what the problem was.

What was she truly upset about? That she wasn't considered pretty enough for it to be mentioned by the Scout? Or was is just that she felt she was going to lose him once this new team member arrived.

"No, no, it's better this way." She forced out a laugh, as small as her voice was starting to be. "He'll bother someone else during battle, for once."

"Doubt it. He's real hooked on ya'."

"And now he won't be. Simple as that." She shrugged, a gesture of carelessness, while as her face said the exact contrary. Her lips were pursed in worry and her eyes wavered. "I have to concentrate on work, anyway."

She stood up, a stack of folded laundry in her arms.

"Besides, we'll see who's a total 'babe', once I kick her perfect ass, right?" She grinned so widely that it almost ran over her anger tainted eyes.

Scout couldn't help but laugh. There was no doubt about it: she was jealous. And jealousy leads to rivalry, which just makes the whole ordeal all the more competitive.

"Right." Scout laughed and grabbed a stack of clothes himself, following her into the bedroom.

Once in her quarters, they went through step three of the laundry day process which consisted of putting away the clean clothes.

"You know,'' she began, "you're different when he's around." A small smile spread over her lips and Scout swore he had never been looked at so lovingly before in his life. "You act so mature."

"No, it just looks that way since he's such an idiot."

She giggled in response.

"I know you like him a good deal, but I still feel like I should be a reminder of which base he's in. Can't have him getting too comfortable, ya' know?" He went on, a bit more relaxed knowing she was feeling better. Or at least it looked that way.

"I don't... He's..." She took a deep breath and laughed at her own stammering. "He's okay."

"Oh, he must be a bit more than okay." Scout snorted. "He has to be if he's got you all angry by _predicting_ what his Nurse is going to look like. Fuck man, she's not even here yet!"

Nurse lowered her eyes and smiled at the ground.

"I mean, you're pretty awesome and if he's just gonna go off and suck up to some, possibly hot, Nurse, then that's his stupid decision and –"

"Scout." She silenced him with a finger to his lips. "You are sounding gayer and gayer as the days go by."

For a second, Scout blinked at her and then burst out laughing as his words ran through his mind one more time. Oh God, he really was, but damn it, it was too funny to worry about.

"Problem, girlfriend?" He grinned and this time it was Nurse's turn to laugh.

It really did lighten the mood, but it was getting late and Scout was getting tired. He already had a lot on his mind and would have liked to go to bed and sleep it off.

"You don't have to fake a yawn. You can leave if you like." She punched his arm. "He's probably waiting for you."

He debated being polite about it and staying but in the end, he stood up, thanked her, ruffled her hair and dashed out. He might not be able to talk to him tonight, but if he could at least see him or the light underneath his door to tell him he was back, that would be enough.

**A/N2: Man, I really do hate this chapter. It kind of feels like a filler before all the interesting shit happens. Anyway, I NEED ADVICE! I have a sex scene coming up in one of the upcoming chapters (not telling which one), but my question is, is it safe to post it on this site? Or is it better not to take a risk and have THAT part of the chapter posted somewhere else. HELP ME PLEASE. **

**Thank you for reading a reviewing. **


	15. Chapter 15

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 15- New Kid

By, the Unlucky-Charm

**A/N: Hey everyone, here's a new chapter for you. I rather like this one. Character development! I think that's what it's called... Anyway! I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but I've got a TUMBLR! **

**My name is itsokayimanartist. I think I want to start taking requests so... message me if there's a short story you'd like me to write for you. And let's see how it goes because I'm VERY excited about trying this out. Thank you!**

Scout lay on his wet bathroom floor, blinking up at the ceiling and simply waiting for his heart to calm down after the shock. He wondered if he was bleeding or if he had a concussion... or if his towel had come undone during the fall.

A shiver ran down his aching back, pressed against the cool tiles. His head pounded and the smacking sound of the impact was still echoing through his ears. If walking in on somebody changing was considered bad timing, then Scout had the worst. He usually took his showers in the evening, after a tiring battle. That one night he didn't feel like it, that one night he just sort of forgot and decided to simply take it in the morning, that one time!

"Are you alright down there?" said the Frenchman, leaning against the doorframe, eyeing the groaning boy and trying not to laugh.

"Am I bleeding?" He murmured, gently shutting his eyes as his heaving chest began to relax.

"No, no. Nasty fall though."

Scout heard the smile in his voice and smelled the smoke that filled the air. The image immediately painted itself behind his lids; a perfectly crooked smirk with the tendrils escaping through his white teeth, which he only ever showed on the rare occasions when someone actually managed to amuse him enough to milk out a grin or even a chuckle. He would've looked at the real picture standing a mere two feet away from him if it weren't for the throbbing pains shooting through his body.

"Scared me..." He barely managed to utter as he tried to loosen his limbs. He wanted to just lay there forever. He wished to be left alone with his smell and his delicious accent still so very fresh in the air. He wanted to bask in this lighthearted feeling of pure content for as long as the next battle would allow.

"My apologies." He chuckled and it wasn't fair because Scout only heard it when he could have just as easily witnessed it.

"Help?" He breathed, unable to move and unable to wrap his head around the series of events that had landed him in a puddle of his own shower drippings.

"With pleasure."He sighed, his voice now much closer and his presence clearer to Scout's blindness.

The young man felt gloved hands on his shoulder, pulling him up. His head hit a chest and then decided to plant itself there as a wave of head rush hit him hard.

"Too fast." He groaned, pressing his head against the soft material of the suit.

"Come on." Spy heaved him up to his feet and guided him to his bed, while making sure his towel was in place the whole time.

"You got my suit wet." The Frenchman informed him once he was laying down on a more comfortable surface.

Scout knew Spy was sitting on the bed, right next to his feet. He knew his eyes were on him and his practically naked body. That is why the young man could hardly bring himself to move a muscle, other than his mouth of course.

"You got me a concussion, but you don't hear me complanin'."

Spy chuckled. "I doubt you have a concussion. Besides, it's not my fault you can't stand on your feet."

"What?!" Scout shot up and held back another groan as pain vibrated against his skull. "I'm a Scout! I was made to be on my feet! Excuse me for being fucking surprised when I get out of my shower and find a Spy standing there!"

"You squealed, backed up and slipped. That was hardly my fault." The Frenchman rolled his eyes.

Scout gritted his teeth together instead of kicking the guy in his smug face. He gave Spy one of his strongest looks of contempt; a small way of rebelling against him every time he seemed to, without fail, lose against him.

"What. Ever." He said and plopped back onto his bed. "What d'ya want, anyway?"

"Ah, petit..." He sighed and got up, whilst shaking his head. "I do not understand why you make things so hard."

"You're the one who –"

"No, I believe _you_ are the one who sent me a note, in my native language, asking for a word." He took a long drag from his cigarette and blew the smoke out as he spoke. "Here I am."

"I... uh... " Scout stalled. Spy having taken over yet another verbal argument, Scout found himself at a loss for words, something that rarely happened to him. But that's what Spy did to him; slowed him down, every single time. He just seemed to slip in whenever Scout began to warm up, getting ready to start his rant. Spy just somehow snuck into the sentence and turned it around.

"Can I get dressed first?" Scout ended up asking out of desperation. Maybe that would get the man out of his room long enough for him to organize his thoughts.

"Go ahead." Spy shrugged, but did not budge.

Scout blushed and bit down on his lip. Awkward, way too awkward. See? Just two words and the Spy had Scout's last minute plan backfiring on him already. Not only was he not going to be left alone anytime soon, but his company was to see him naked as well.

"Would you like me to turn around?" Spy snorted. "You know in the showers –"

"Fuck clothes." Scout waved away the entire subject of getting dressed and blushed even more furiously. He knew they showered together and Spy had probably seen him naked as many times as they had had work days together, but it was different when it was only the two of them... in a single room... with only one of them naked.

"I just thought I owed you some kind of..."

"Explanation?"

Scout finally looked up and immediately wished he hadn't when he was met with a pair of icy blue eyes, clearly amused by his embarrassing situation. The bastard...

"No –well, yeah. Sure, I guess... Just wanted ta' thank ya, is all." He admitted, making it sound like he finally had gotten everything off his chest, that that was the final confession, while in his head swam the hundreds of other things that he wanted, that he _could_ tell him to make him stay a little longer.

That was NOT all. 'Thanks' was not even a fraction of what he wanted to say. He had so many damn questions, so many things he needed to discuss, with absolutely no way of bringing them up.

Instead, he fiddled with the loose threads of his towel and pretended not to be phased by the fact that he could see Spy stabbing his eyes into him.

The Frenchman ended up just snorting again.

"You already did."

This time, Scout had no choice but to look up. His head twisted all on its own, as if Spy's tone had elicited a hidden reflex in him. Scout couldn't help but chuckle sheepishly at Spy's expression. He knew the sarcastic, lopsided grin was meant for him, as well as the arched brow and –he almost choked on his breath –affectionate eyes, which rolled to the side, emphasizing how silly he thought Scout was being.

"Sorry." Scout grinned apologetically.

"I mean you did kiss me."

"Whoa, okay, no need to say it out loud!"

"Rather passionately as well."

"It wasn't that –"

"No, no, do not discredit yourself. It was quite... " Spy searched for the word, bouncing his cigarette in between his fingers. "... theatrical."

"I dunno... it was in the moment, I guess. Was nice of ya'." He shrugged, nonchalant and casual, which portrayed the exact opposite of what his inside were truly feeling like.

"I'm not nice." Spy said so quickly that his sentence merged into Scout's, correcting him dispassionately. His lips tightened and his warming eyes froze over once more. The relaxed Spy that Scout was just starting to see glimpses of was quick to disappear, giving his face its usual stern angle. If Scout had started to feel at ease, this definitely halted the process and brought him back to square one: discomfort.

"Right, I –"

"I hope you know that already." He added.

His teammate cut him off again and Scout became unsure if whether or not he should be speaking at all. He was having trouble forming his words and once he did, it was an impossible task to bring them together. He stammered and stumbled through 'ums' and 'buts', until his boiling anger and frustration threatened to spill over.

This is what Spy did to him every time. The effect was always the same. In a mix of passion and resentment, Spy always managed to shut him up.

"Petit." Spy stressed the word. "Stop this."

"Stop what?" Scout's voice broke as his whole body shook with all the overpowering emotion that he desperately tried to fight. He felt that burning animosity awake in him more and more with every word the Spy spoke. An animosity that he was not allowed to let loose, because Spy's presence seemed to hit him hard like a whip and tame him, no matter how hard his body shook in protest.

"I am not 'nice', Scout. I am an old, twisted man with a bad tan line on his face. I can't wrap my head around... this." He paused and took a deep, exasperated breath. "And apparently, you can't provide an explanation either."

Scout bit down on his lip, angry at himself for having brought this upon him. "You ain't that old." He said. It was all that he could find when it came to a reply, since once again, Spy had rendered him speechless. He was right, as usual, he had no explanation, despite being the one who requested a meeting.

Scout was done. He had nothing more to say and decided to wait until Spy let himself out before he mentally committed suicide. But that didn't happen. Spy never let himself out. Quite the contrary, Scout soon found himself laying on his back again with the smell of smoke rushing through his nostrils.

"I do not understand." Spy's husky voice came from much closer than usual and when Scout opened his eyes, he almost gasped at the closeness.

"W –what..." Scout gulped.

"Is this really what you like?" Spy dug his fingers into the flesh of Scout's arm, holding him down underneath him. His legs, cradling Scout's hips, tightened and his weight pressed hard against him. Scout could not budge, Spy had made sure of it.

"Your pupils dilate when you look at me, I can practically hear your breath quicken and your entire body has gone tense. If it's just a fling that you are after, then I assure you –"

"Fuck you." Scout hissed, his eyes watering from white hot fury.

"You think I want a fucking fling?" He spat. "Where I come from, guys swing one way and one way only. It's a rule. Break it and that's a huge problem you got. By the end of the week, everyone will have made sure you're swinging the right way or else, you won't be swinging at all."

"I see... and what does that have to do with you and I?" Spy spoke, entirely non-phased by the Scout's reaction.

"I used to beat the crap outta guys like me, man! I used to FUCK THEM UP! You think it's easy for me to just... to just change like that?! Do you really think I'd accept being a fucking faggot just for a fucking fling with some pussy in a mask!?" Scout shouted, squirming and jerking underneath Spy's grasp.

"Calm down." Spy ordered.

"I can't." Scout choked into the crook of Spy's neck. "I'm gay and it's all your fucking fault.

"Sorry." He whispered.

"Liar."

Spy chuckled mockingly and lifted himself enough to be facing the young man he was holding.

"You're right." Spy said, condescending and plain cruel. "I am most definitely not sorry. I never apologize for anything. I am careless and never allow myself to have regrets. I am purposefully inconsiderate because occasionally, I really do enjoy inflicting pain on others. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. And why? Because it's my job. It's my job to lie and deceive. It's who I am and I don't know what you're trying to pull here. Tell me boy, are you that desperate? Bored? Tell me because I just don't understand why you're chasing after me of all people."

Spy pushed himself off of Scout and eventually, off the bed entirely. He pulled out another cigarette and stared down at Scout with all the contempt in the world.

"Look at you. You're shaking, grinding your teeth, clenching your fists; not a single sign of affection. I don't know if it's just lust or some other twisted mutation you have developed, but I believe you are terribly mistaken if you think it's something as ordinary as 'love'. Don't play with feelings you can't even understand." He turned around and faced the opposite wall.

"It's not as simple as that." Scout snarled, almost to himself.

"Of course not." Spy smiled a sad smile, one that Scout could barely from the angle Spy was standing. "We are not simple men."

A moment passed where neither of them spoke. Scout's anger died down as he tried to catch a glimpse of Spy's expression. Was he angry? He could not see. All he caught was the definite movement of facial muscles, but what they ended up forming, he could not make out.

"Spy...?" The word came out as a small sound.

"I suggest you walk away." He said, his voice coming off a bit strained. "Before you burn your fingers."

The breath Scout took was sharp, deep and completely silent or at least silent enough not to attract the Spy's attention. The proof was that he still had his back turned to him. In that breath was held every ounce of courage left in him and every drop of dignity a person clothed in nothing but a towel can possess, which was not much, but he gathered it all anyway.

Scout stood up, holding onto his towel and marched to the door. He felt Spy's eyes on his back and the feeling of being watched made him hesitate, but he grabbed onto the door handle anyway and pulled it wide open. Any passersby that would happen to look in would be very confused as of why the Spy was in the semi naked Scout's room, but he didn't care.

"I think I'll take the chance, if you don't mind."He said dispassionately, glancing over at the doorway to get the message across.

The Spy blinked at the door, then at Scout, at the door and then at the Scout again. He was just as quick to walk out as he was quick to compose his face. His eyes might not have popped out of their sockets, but Scout did not miss that twitch, even if it lasted for a fraction of a second. A discreet widening that would usually go unnoticed in any usual situation, but Scout was waiting for it and was pleased when he caught it.

When Spy walked out and away, Scout could have almost sworn he heard him chuckle. It didn't matter anyway. He shut the door behind him and pressed his head against the door to calm his pounding heart. He took another deep breath, held it, turned around and punched the wall.

The plaster broke and chipped away, his joints rattled, his muscles ached and through his gauze, his knuckles bled.

/

/

The announcer declared an off day again, but in addition, requesting that everyone 'follow tradition', which was new, to Nurse at least. She, as usual, had no idea what this 'tradition' consisted of and what kind of hell it would drag her through this time. The lady in the speakers had said 'tradition'. Nurse had seen some rather odd ones in her lifetime in different cultures and religions, so she could only imagine what mad ideas these people would come up with. Something along the lines of human sacrifice came to mind...

In her sweatpants and T-shirt, she decided, despite the unclear announcement, to proceed with breakfast and later on, curl up on the couch, preferably next to Heavy since the man radiated heat like a fire place.

She locked the door to her room, walked through the infirmary, opened the door and at least go that far this time. The second she opened the door to the hallway, big hands fell upon her shoulders and spun her around. She could dig her heals in as hard as she could, but her socks just made it easier for the Medic to slide her across the infirmary and back into her bedroom.

"Put your uniform on." He sighed.

"Why?" She asked, even though she had an idea of what the answer was going to be.

"Tradition." He grumbled, like it was the most annoying and unpleasant thing, which with her luck, would be exactly that.

"What are we doing?" She asked as she searched for a clean uniform ensemble.

"Well, _we _are watching. You, on the other hand, have a ceremony to perform." He said, letting out a long breath. Nurse could hear sympathy in the Medic's voice. When a cold blooded mercenary is sympathizing with you, you begin to worry about what's coming up.

"Is it that bad?" Nurse stopped what she was doing to look at her mentor. He stood so straight, she could have mistaken him for a military man if she didn't know any better.

"No, just annoying. I can't believe they're making you do this." He shook his head in disgust. "Waste of precious time."

"Making me do _what_, doctor."

Medic pursed his lips and opened his mouth to answer. The words took their time and Nurse witnessed the German's hesitation. Was this some kind of secret?

"Blood bond." He said.

"What? With who?" She frowned. She didn't like where this was going.

Medic chuckled humorlessly and looked away. When he did look back, his expression had gone bitter.

"The RED Nurse."

/

/

When she got downstairs, her entire team was waiting for, except for Spy and Scout who arrived some time later... together. Nurse made a mental note to ask him about it later.

Pats on the back and nods were exchanged and weirdly, more looks of sympathy. What did everybody know that she didn't? What was this blood bond? Why only her?

"Are you ready for you blood binding, private!" Soldier meant to simply say, but shouted instead.

"No... I might be if someone told me what I'm supposed to do exactly."

A moment did not pass and everybody was chiming in, sharing their own knowledge, experience and advice about blood bonds.

"Basically, they're gonna cut your finger off." Scout explained.

"They're not gonna cut it _off_, ya' wanker!" Sniper gave him a shove and turned to Nurse. "Just a small cut, don't you worry."

"It's like signing a contract." Engineer shrugged.

"When you shake stupid Nurse's hand, shake hard. Hold with strong grip." Heavy gave his advice.

Demoman disagreed and an argument started that soon encompassed the entire team. From what Nurse had understood, she was going to sign a symbolic contract with the enemy Nurse. Something like a ritual that officially makes them the tenth class. She wasn't sure what came first, the shaking or the cutting, but as long as there were no speeches or sacrifices, she trust she would survive.

"So, they're gonna cut my finger and I'm going to shake her hand? That's it? Did I really have to get dressed for this?"

"Yes! You are representing our team, miss! You must be presentable and –"

"His."

Everybody turned to the corner where Spy had isolated himself from the team. He leaned against the wall, a cigarette dangling from his lips. Nurse thought that he was the only man in the world who could look so bored and arrogant all at the same time.

"What?" Soldier growled, clearly irritated by the interruption.

"His hand." He said again and sighed when nobody understood. "I do not know when you all decided that the RED Nurse was a woman, but from what I saw, _he _is most certainly male."

Dozens of conversations broke out once again, mostly consisting of questions directed to the Spy. Apparently, he had seen the young man arrive late last night. He came with the delivery train, just like Nurse had. He didn't manage to catch a glimpse of him, seeing how it was dark and that he was watching from a distance, but two things were for sure: the new Nurse was a young man and wore glasses.

However, the BLU Nurse could not care less what he looked like, sounded like or dressed like. A new wave of relief had flooded her by the word 'male' alone. A man, just like all the others. Her counterpart was a man, then. Not a tall blonde babe like a certain someone had predicted.

"You should probably wipe that smile off your face, Spy's real attentive of these things." She heard the familiar Bostonian voice whisper sharply into her ear.

Having not even realised that the corner of her lips had curled itself up into a satisfied smirk, Nurse quickly brought her hand up to her mouth. She lifted her eyes towards her Scout, who watched the chaos surrounding his crush with his hands set tightly behind his back.

"Right back at you." She said. "Had a little domestic?"

"Something like that." He replied and shrugged. He didn't seem very bothered by it, which pushed Nurse to the conclusion that Scout, in his words, had 'won' whatever argument they were having.

When the alarm sounded, everyone calmed down and went into formation. Yes, apparently there was some kind of formation. Soldier referred to it as the triple V: offense, defense and support. Scout, Soldier and Pyro were the first line, lead by Soldier. Then came the second line consisting of Demo and Engie, lead by Heavy. And finally came the last line with Sniper and Spy, lead by Medic with Archimedes on his shoulder . Nurse walked behind them, reassuring Medic with a nod each time the doctor sneaked a glance at her over his shoulder.

They marched all the way to the center of the battlefield as RED did the same. The two Soldiers faced and growled at each other until their teammates had formed a straight, horizontal line; each class facing each other. Before she knew it, Nurse was guided to Soldier's side, where she stood straight and did not dare look anywhere other than at her new counterpart.

Everyone was in place and exactly ten seconds of silence later, the Soldiers initiated the process.

"Step forth!" They ordered in unison.

The two Nurses took a hesitant step forward, now standing less than an arm's length from one another.

"Bow!" The RED Soldier yelled and the RED Nurse obeyed.

"Bow!" It was BLU's turn and Nurse bowed as well.

Another moment of silence passed during which Nurse could feel movement around her but was too busy locking eyes with her counterpart. Average height, dirty blonde, thick black framed glasses and a very charming smile that he seemed to insist keeping plastered on his face throughout the ceremony. The new Nurse wasn't hot, sexy or cute. The man before her was downright, traditional, textbook handsome. Royal Family handsome. Prince Charming handsome.

"And now for the binding of the bloods!" One of the Soldiers yelled and the RED stretched his hand out, so she mirrored him.

Before she knew it, her Spy had appeared close by and was holding her hand, running his butterfly knife across her palm, drawing a thin red line. Blood began to gather and drip down to her wrist. She watched it leak its way down and glance up, only to see that her rival was doing the same. Eye contact was made once more and the smile remained untouched.

"Shake!"

They shook hands, holding each other in an unmoving death grip which to Nurse, lasted for what felt like an eternity. Their bloods mixed together and then dripped down onto the space between them, but neither of them budged. Nurse wasn't sure if they were waiting for a signal or the 'right time' to let go, but it was then that she noticed he was whispering to himself. Counting to be precise.

"6...7...8..." He counted each drop that fell and when he reached ten, Nurse felt his grip loosen.

It was over.

Or at least it was supposed to be, except he wasn't letting go.

His grip loosened but did not disappear entirely as he gently lifted her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"Nice to meet you, miss." He said and flashed her a dazzling grin.

All eyes were on them. She could feel them staring, shocked, confused and simply astonished. Why did he do that? Obviously, judging from the reactions, that last bit was not part of the ritual. How could this... this new kid have the nerve to even...? He kissed her hand! In front of everyone! Did he even know that she had made a plan to rip him to shreds the first chance she got during a battle. Well, that was before she found out he was a man, but nevertheless! You don't go around kissing your enemy's hand in front of both goddamn teams!

Nurse frowned and blinked furiously at him. Her lips parted, but what was there to say? She snatched her hand away and turned to her Spy. His eyes darted between the Nurses for a moment. Nurse sneered at how amused he seemed with his hands behind his back. The Frenchman cleared his throat.

"The blood bond is complete." He said, turning and heading to the base. "Tradition states that battles will resume the day after tomorrow."

One by one, the mercenaries of RED and BLU turned their backs on the scene and headed back to the bases. Nurse would have stood there day, staring at her smiling RED complement if it weren't for the Sniper who snatched her by the arm and guided her way.

"Stop looking back." He said to her.

She couldn't help it. He wasn't moving. He still stood there, just watching her and grinning. Not like Medic, not like Spy and not even like Soldier. His smile was genuine –or at least it seemed to be –warm and just...absorbing! She frowned again and made sure to give him the most disapproving look she could muster until they had walked far enough to lose sight of him.

"He was still smiling." She mumbled.

"Weird bloke, if you ask me." Sniper said, shaking his head. "That was one scene you two made."

"It wasn't me!" She snapped, freeing her arm from his grasp. "Why would he do that..."

"Dunno. But be sure that everyone's gonna be asking you questions now."

"Ugh!" She rolled her eyes. "I don't even know what a guy like that is doing here."

"Aren't we being a snob, then!" Sniper said condescendingly.

"Oh please, did you even see him? Fresh out of a British sitcom!"

"He's British?"

"No, but sure as hell looks like it."

They walked in silence the rest of way, but Nurse knew Sniper had something on his mind, especially since he insisted to walk her all the way to her room.

"I want you to be careful." He said.

"Why?"

"I don't like that kid. I don't like him, I don't like how bloody attached that other Scout is to you and I especially don't like the way their Spy has his eye on you."

"Well, what do you want me to do about it?"

"I don't know, kid. Lock your doors, keep your eyes open. Just..." Sniper sighed and looked away for a moment. He had worry in his eyes, too much even. "Just be careful, alright?"

"Um. Sure." She nodded curtly, trying to hide that she had sensed his unease.

"Alright then. I'll see ya' later."

"Yeah... bye."

When Sniper turned the corner, Nurse dashed inside, shutting and locking the door behind her. She needed to wash off. The blood was drying on her skin, leaving behind a sticky, disgusting sensation. She'd clean up, change into her comfortable clothes and maybe go find the Scout for an early lunch.

But first things first, she had her own mystery to unravel. She could still feel it stuck to the palm of her hand, soaked in her own blood. The piece of paper was dripping, making Nurse worry about the state of its print. She peeled the small square off of her skin. It had been pressed there by the other Nurse during the handshake. She had made it a point not to react but had been dying to read it the entire time.

Wiping the blood off gently, she held it against the light.

Numbers. A phone number to be exact.

Nurse wasn't sure if this was serious or she was just being hit on. Either way, lunch could wait. She had a call to make.

/

/

**P.S. If you do actually end up sending me a request on tumblr, I'm going to post it on the site itself. The request can be of any rating and any type. From fluff to porn, I do not mind.**

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	16. Chapter 16

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 16- My dear

By, the Unlucky-Charm

**A/N: Hey guys, here's chapter 16 for you, where we have some more about the RED Nurse. Also, many thanks for you guys who sent me requests. I have begun working on them. For those who'd like to send requests, my tumblr is itsokayimanartist. Thank you!**

A whirling blur, followed by a sickening thud as his head bounced off the wall. He remained calm, slowly pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. The back of his skull was throbbing, but the state of his hair was of a greater concern to him. He had put so much effort into it for their meeting and now... well, it would be a waste if it were ruined so early in the day.

"Can I help you?" He asked his teammate, who also just happened to be his attacker.

"Yeah! What the hell d'ya think you were doin' back there, punk!"

The Scout was furious, as expected. The surprising part was his strength; Nurse wouldn't have guessed him capable of actually pinning him against a wall from his collar only.

"You're going to have to be more specific." Nurse smirked tauntingly and did not even budge when Scout's fist reeled back, readying itself for a hardy punch.

Impact was interrupted when Scout was shoved to the side and replaced by the Soldier, who shook Nurse back and forth, stretching the material of his shirt.

"You better have an explanation for that stunt, private!"

"As a matter of fact I do, gentleman."He said, but Soldier did not stop shaking until the Engineer stepped up and put his hand on his arm.

"Right." He said, clearing his throat and straightening out his uniform. "What to begin with..."

One arm crossed over his chest and the other resting over it, he ran his gaze over his new teammates, grinning, chuckling and rubbing at his chin.

"Out of curiosity, how long has it been since you've seen a real woman? Must've been a while, seeing as..."

"Seeing as _what_, mate?"

"Well, you clearly don't know how to treat one right. I was simply being polite."

"Polite? POLITE?! There's no such thing as polite on the front, maggot!"

"Maybe not, but I do believe in chivalry."

"WHAT!? If you don't come up with a valid reason, I'll show you what happens to scum like you who fraternize with the enemy! Why do we need a Nurse anyway! That's a woman's job!" Soldier shouted at the top of his lungs, struggling to free himself from Heavy's and Engineer's grasps.

The Nurse remained unfazed, tapping his foot impatiently until Soldier finally calmed down.

"Are you done?" He asked him in a bittersweet tone, smirking sarcastically. When Soldier bared his teeth and growled, he took that as a yes.

"Have you men heard of psychological warfare?" He asked, bringing his hands behind his back and pacing the room.

"Of course!" Soldier snapped.

"Really?" He arched a brow and stared at him with a mix of arrogance and pity, almost equivalent to condescension.

"It's when you mess with the enemy's dumb ass mind!"

He sighed and turned away from the Soldier. "Any better definitions."

"The use of various techniques that target the enemy's psychological weakness in order to reduce or annihilate their morale." Medic spoke up and grinned the surprised faces turned towards him. "It is my second favourite warfare, after biological of course." He shrugged.

"Precisely. I am merely using their weakness as an advantage."

No response. Just a group of eight men blinking back at him.

"What is weakness?" Heavy asked.

"What is... are you serious? None of you have seen this? A group of nine mercenaries and none of you think of using this to your advantage?" He scoffed. "Pathetic."

"Watch it, mate." Sniper sneered. "We're listening to ya', but we can't guarantee for how long if you keep talking like that. Let's get to it, yeah? I believe the big fella' asked you a question."

"Yes. My apologies." He said and bowed slightly. "The weakness I am referring to is the woman on their team."

"Nurse?" Scout frowned.

"Yes..." Nurse smirked, pleased about something and stared Scout down before turning away. "Yes, their Nurse is a woman. A woman with feelings and emotions, like any other lady you see on the street. If we play it right, if we make the right moves, we can easily manipulate those sensitive heartstrings any way we want."

"How?"

"How? My friend, do you know what goes through a woman's mind every single day? Do you know how many things they analyse, over-think, trying to find answers that aren't even there? The kiss I planted on her hand is just the beginning, but I will bet my life savings on the fact that she is thinking about it as we speak." He stopped for a moment, to bask in the undivided attention he was receiving from almost each person. "Women are weak. The BLU Nurse is weak. And trust me when I say that her seduction will bring us our victory."

"The weakest link!" Demoman said.

"Exactly. If we break that link, we have all the access we need to win."

Discussion erupted not much later, where questions were asked and answers were delivered. Nurse multitasked. He watched his words when he answered their questions and also watched the Scout, who clearly had a silent complaint about this plan of his. His inner smile fell for a moment. The boy might turn out to be a problem. It all depended on his priorities and right now, things were not looking good. If his feelings for the girl proved to be stronger than expected, it might compromise the plan. All the more reason to get his BLU counterpart on his side, maybe even evoke some jealousy. Who knows, maybe it'll even end up helping the mission. If the BLU girl was with him, consequently, he had both Scout's on his side. Then maybe even a BLU Sniper, which would lead to the other. It would create the perfect chain reaction. But no matter the turn of events, the girl is key.

They all left in the end. One by one, they walked away, off to deal with their personal business, leaving Nurse to take care of his own. He took his lab coat off, hung it on one of the hooks and waited. He had work to do and was expecting a phone call any time soon, but none of that could be done with a Spy following him around.

"How can I help you, my good man?"

"Yes... help. You seem to enjoy offering your help." He emerged from one of the shadowy corners of the room. Dramatic as it may seem to some, Nurse knew he was standing there all along. "What makes you think I need it?"

"Well, I think that helping out my teammates will get me their trust, which is very important on the battlefield –"

"Cut the crap, yes? I saw the paper you gave her, what is that about, hm? If it's trust you want, mon ami, I suggest you stop acting so suspicious."

Nurse froze, but did not dare turn around, just in case his face was giving something away. He thought he had been discreet, but Pauling was right; Spy was sharper than he had anticipated. On screen, he had just looked like a blood thirsty psychopath, judging by the way he had acted with his prisoner. Psychopaths, he could deal with, but intelligent psychopaths became an obstacle.

"They're rather easy to manipulate, aren't they?" He said and finally turned around when having composed himself.

"I haven't wasted my time trying, but I can imagine." He muttered, squinting at him.

Nurse sighed. "You don't trust me."

"I trust no one, sir."

"I can assure you," He said, tucking his hands into his pockets and lifting himself onto his toes. He's learned in the past that such a stance can give an air of innocence. Would it fool the Spy? He could not tell, but it was worth a try. "that I am only looking out for my team."

"Really?" He snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Spy, I might not resort to what you feel is necessary protocol when having a prisoner, but do not think for a moment that I possess a soft spot for any of the BLUs, female or not."

And the Oscar went to the RED Nurse. Or at least he thought it did. That was his best act yet and maybe even the most convincing one he's able to pull off, but it will all be in vain if the Spy doesn't buy it.

He squinted all the more. Spy wasn't even trying to hide the fact that he was reading him. His eyes peered at him through the slits of his eyelids, staring him down. When the corner of his mouth twitched, clearly involuntarily, Nurse knew that he had won this one.

"What kind of Nurse are you, exactly?" He asked, almost to himself.

"The kind that can help his team any way he can."

He twitched again, more violently this time. His answer had been so pathetically innocent and scripted, he knew that, but it was safe. With men like the one in front of him, safe was the best way to play.

"I see." He said through a clenched jaw. "And the paper?"

Nurse chuckled darkly and shook his head. "That, my friend, is an experiment of my own."

The Spy frowned at him and he thought it best to slowly proceed towards the door.

"Consisting of what?" He called after him.

"Nothing of your concern." He called back with a smile Spy could not see.

He clutched at the phone in his pocket, waiting impatiently for a vibration.

"At least not yet."

/

/

"Fucking finally." She cursed when she caught sight of the two payphones in the near distance. She was relieved, to say the least, for two reasons. First, the longer than expected journey was over and the burning hot sun had failed to completely fry her brain. Second, no Snipers, meaning one less problem to deal with. Sneaking out of her base unseen had been complicated in itself, the last thing she needed was a marksman eavesdropping on her secret conversation with the enemy. Nurse had heard that the payphones were their third favorite hang out spot, after their nests and their vans.

She almost burned her fingers on the scorching plastic of the receiver and pressed it reluctantly against her ear as she dialed the number she had made a point to memorise. She couldn't tell by the digits if it was a local number or that of a portable, but the long pause before the ringing began told her that it was probably the latter.

After two rings, an answer came in sweet words and a suave voice.

"Hello, my dear."

"Alright, what is it you want?" She snapped.

"Ah, but I believe you are the one who called me."

He was being clever. She hated that; people who tried to be clever.

"You gave me your number for a reason. What is it?"

"I only wished to speak with a person with a drop of sanity left." He paused and Nurse could almost hear him smirking on the other end. "Before she loses it too."

"Oh? What makes you think she's s balanced?"

"Oh, I don't know. She seems to be sensible. Also, she hasn't been stuck here long enough for her senses to deteriorate in the same manner as her teammates and her rivals." He said, oh so very sweetly that it made Nurse sneer in disgust.

She knew what he was implying, but could not tell what it was going to lead up to. She knew they were insane, some more than the others. She knew they were all being played, but who cares when the money just keeps coming in. This was no war; anybody could see that.

"And I suppose that excludes you."

"What on earth do you mean?" He practically sang.

"You believe to be quite sane yourself, compared to your teammates, at least."

He chuckled. "When dealing with the insane, the best method is to pretend to be sane."

She rolled her eyes and smiled; she caught him.

"Don't quote Hermann Hesse to me as if you know what you're talking about." She said proudly.

"Ah, apparently she is cultured too." He sounded delighted, the arrogant bastard.

"Stop saying 'she'. It's me you're talking about." She snapped, hissing into the phone.

"Ah, ah, ah, making assumptions, are we?"

"Shut up."

His chuckling turned into a princely laugh, its charm irritating Nurse to a whole new extent. She had no idea who this man was and what he was playing at, but whatever it was, he was clearly winning.

"Now, now, no need to be rude. I just want to discuss a few things with you."

"What if I don't want to." She challenged, even though she was dying to know what he had to say.

"Trust me, my dear, you'll want to hear this."

And she believed him. She went along with it, only because she had nothing better to do on this off day in the middle of the desert.

"How so?"

"An intelligent girl like you? Surely you have noticed the oddities of this place. A war consisting of only 10 people on each side, with off days and a neutral administration? Why, I thought it was a joke until they proved me wrong."

"They?"

"The higher ups, of course." He paused, only to continue in a darker tone. "How's your arm doing? Scar still there?"

"E –excuse me?" He couldn't be talking about...

Nurse panicked and instinctively clutched at her sleeve that covered the scar.

"You're the one who said game over, right? And yet, you're still playing."

She remained silent and let his words set in. Turns out this stranger did have some things to say. Thing she really did want to hear. But why? What were his motives?

"I am here to stop you from becoming one of them; stuck in a murderous routine day after day, without even asking themselves questions. Blinded by the thirst of blood and determined to make as many victims as possible. I am here to warn you of this threat and possibly save the others, even if some are already in too deep."

"Alright, alright, slow down." She cut in before he bombarded her with any more information. "Who are you?"

"That doesn't matter."

"Okay, what do you want?"

"From you? Your trust, my dear, and anything else you are willing to offer." He purred.

"Right..." What the hell kind of answer was that? "And why are you here?"

"Ah." He breathed into the phone. "There's a storm coming, my dear."

"Oh, now you're quoting Batman? Seriously?"

"Oh, you are cultured in many ways!" He laughed. "But in all seriousness, I was sent here to warn you all."

"Then why are you warning me alone?"

"Because you are most lovely and are the only one who will believe me."

She blushed. She didn't want to, but she did.

"Wh –who sent you?" She stuttered, angry at herself for allowing him to hear that.

"Saxton Hale." He chuckled slyly and knowingly. He didn't need to see her to be aware of the state she was in.

"The Australium guy?"

"The very same."

"And what is this 'storm' you're talking about?"

"I think we are going to have to leave that for another day, for I am being called on."

"What?!"

"Au revoir, my dear."

And he hung up, just like that.

/

/

Nurse walked back to her base in a fever of fury and confusion. The stranger with whom she had been on the phone but minutes ago was obviously more than just a 'Nurse'. Question was, why was he talking to her? He said it was because she was sane, also because the others wouldn't believe him. But believe what? Apparently, she was to find out next time they spoke, on 'another day'.

As much as she wanted to deny it, she saw his point if she really looked into it. If there was, like he said, 'a storm coming' and if also, they were all being played, some of the guys would have a hard time accepting that but... Did that really make them insane? What did he mean when he said 'before she loses it too'? This guy was a mystery and a very cliché one at that, especially with his quotes and his French goodbyes. And seriously? 'For I am being called on'? Who says that!?

Her irritation for her new counterpart, although sometimes misplaced, came in all shapes and sizes. He was arrogantly charming, obnoxiously cultured, annoyingly mysterious and most of all, terribly handsome.

She disliked him, just like she disliked most of the RED team, but did she trust him? Yes. Yes, she did and more than she trusted some of her own team, which bothered her, but not as much as it should have. He knew things. He did not dwell on them, but he knew. He asked her about the cut and Game Over... If he knew that much, certainly he knew much more.

/

/

Scout had requested a final French class before the battles started, since they were going into town again tomorrow and would probably come back dead tired. Despite all the empty chairs and her comfortable bed, they sat cross legged on the floor. His progress was incredible and his accent just kept getting more adorable. In the middle of the lesson, he stopped reading and checked the clock on the wall.

"Have to be somewhere?" She asked.

"No..." He smiled. "Have you noticed something?"

"Not in particular..." She said, checking around her for some different.

"We're alone."

"And?"

"It's past the regular time and he hasn't shown up yet!" He said, bolting up to gaze through the window. "The bastard... probably lurking in the shadows, waiting for me to leave."

"Doubt it." She said, standing up and joining him at the window. "Probably too busy wallowing in sorrow and disappointment."

"How so?"

"The RED Nurse ain't much of a 'babe', now is he?" She grinned deviously, a smile that Scout did not hesitate to return.

"Yeah, probably jealous too. We have a babe and they don't! Ha!" He cried triumphantly.

"Scout, I don't think Spy would appreciate you calling him a babe." Nurse said, very seriously, trying not to laugh at Scout's dirty look.

"You can't take a compliment, can you." He said, shaking his head.

"Nope."

They were quiet for a while, staring outside. Nurse watched the stars and Scout still searched for his rival out in the darkness.

"You know..." Scout began. "At the ceremony, I don't think anyone saw..."

"Saw what?"

"Him. The RED Scout."

Nurse tore her gaze from the sky. "What about him?"

"When the Nurse kissed your hand... He wasn't too happy about it." Scout said, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"What'd he do?"

"Cracked his knuckles, looked real angry too... Their Sniper held him from his collar before he could take a step forward."

"I see..."

"Do you?"

"I should hope so." She said and attempted to turn back to the window, but Scout's hand was on her shoulder instantly.

"He likes you, you know that." He said and Nurse stared in astonishment because she had never seen her Scout so serious before.

"Y –yes, I do."

They stared at each other for a moment longer and then turned back to the window in unison.

Nurse sighed, fogging up the glass a bit.

"I just don't know what to make of it."

**A/N2: More soon, thank you for reading and reviewing. **


	17. Chapter 17

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 17- Braids and Blood

By, the Unlucky-Charm

**A/N: I'm proud of this chapter and I apologize in advance for how it ends. Simple reminder that I am still taking request on my tumblr. **

High up in the perch, it was warm and quiet; not an environment he would usually go looking for, but lately, it had served him well. It was perfect, towering over the territory, giving him a view of both bases even if he only needed to concentrate on the one. For the price he was paying for this privilege, it was proving itself to be worth it. The only thing that irked him were the rules that came with the place, courtesy of Sniper. The paper he had written them on still hung on one of the posts, taunting Scout when it fluttered against the breeze.

Rule #1: Sniper's presence is required to enter the perch.

Rule #2: No being alone in the perch.

Rule #3: No questions in the perch.

Rule #4: No useless conversation in the perch.

Rule #5: No obnoxious noises in the perch.

Rule #6: Rent will be paid by relieving Sniper of his dishwashing duties and –

A scribble followed the rest of rule 6, where Scout had intervened and raised an argument. It wasn't difficult to get Sniper to reconsider, but Scout still fought hard to get rid of the "... and one blowjob."

Scout kneeled on the wooden floor so that only his head poked out over the edge. He stared into the distance with shifty eyes, watching over the enemy base like some suspicious old man spying on the neighbour kids.

"Look mate, I don't know why you're doing this exactly, but can you even see her from this far?" Sniper spoke up from his corner where Scout had thought him to be napping.

"I thought the rule said no questions." Scout muttered without even tearing his gaze away from the BLU base.

"True..." The Australian drawled.

Scout heard his footsteps creak from behind him as he approached, but did not stir from his position.

"But this concerns your own comfort, mate."

He shot a quick glance at his teammate and ended up doing a double take when he realised what exactly was being handed to him.

"That's your scope." He pointed out the obvious, only because it was too hard to believe.

"Yes, yes it is." He said, the offer still up from grabs.

"B –but, you never hive your scope to any – hey! Is this about that blowjob, asshole!"

"Ha! Did you really think I'd let your filthy mouth anywhere near my –"

"Alright! Alright!" Scout cut in, waving his hands on front of him, almost begging the Sniper not to finish that sentence. "What's the catch?"

Sniper responded with a flash of his signature wolf-like grin, giving Scout a reason to worry if he didn't already have one.

"You tell me what you see."

"That's it?" That couldn't be it. There was nothing sneaky, creepy or perverted about it at all and now, Scout was definitely worried.

"Yup!"

"What the hell do you care about the Nursette?"

"Nursette? Is that what we're callin' her now?" He chuckled.

"It gets confusin'." Scout said, laughing nervously. "Gotta call that bitch somethin', am I right?"

"Bitch... right." Sniper rolled his eyes and sunk down to the floor to sit crossed-legged right next to Scout. "You know, we're breaking rule 3, so I suggest we both go to rule 4 and watch." He said, pushing his precious scope against the young man's chest and motioning him toward the BLU base.

It took a few minutes, but there she was, emerging from the doorway with her Scout in tow. To see him with her evoked an inevitable jealousy, which he only accepted due to his BLU counterpart's sexual orientation.

The sight of her arose words Scout kept buried in the deepest crevasses of his vocabulary. "Lovely" was what came to mind, trampling over "hot", "sexy" and even "beautiful". Nurse was lovely with her mess of curls she called hair and her stylish clothes that did not suit her in the least. She was lovely with her oversized hips, as she was lovely with her oversized eyes. She was lovely when she nervously bit at her fingers, when she bobbed up and down on her toes and when she tugged at her brown strands. Nurse was lovely when she spoke words and lovelier when she spoke with her gaze. Loveliest when she smiled, of course, but Scout tried not to think of that because breathing was important to him.

And as if she had just read his open book of a mind, her lips cracked into a full toothed grin, crinkling the bridge of her nose as she tucked a stray strand back behind her ear. And as if his throat had been waiting for its cue, Scout felt himself choking on his own breath.

Watching her was like watching an old romance film, his mother's Etta James and Frank Sinatra constantly playing in the background.

"My God, you are a goner." Sniper muttered in awe, shaking his head and violently yanking him out of his reverie.

Scout just blinked at him, startled, unaware of what had just happened.

"You were humming "At Last", mate."

"Oh... must've been on the radio earlier. Got stuck in my head..." Scout's lips barely moved when he spoke. The kid seemed completely out of it, his unfocused gaze freezing on random spots around the perch. He was no longer spying and the scope hung loosely in his weakened grip, long forgotten.

"Right..." Sniper said tentatively, retrieving his scope from the boy's hand before he dropped it. Scout didn't seem to notice anyway. "It's not like you want her so badly it's pushin' you to actually spy on her in exchange of extra dish duty. It's not like you're so desperately and pathetically in love with her that she's got you singin' and fantasizin'."

Scout did not even look at him when he spoke, but Sniper had a feeling that he heard every word he said.

"What? And that makes me a goner?" Scout responded, his eyes still frozen on some corner and it was clear to Sniper that even he knew he was being delusional.

"Mate, it's an off day and your hangin' out with me. Me! Just to get a glimpse of her."

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK." Scout cursed behind his hands cupped over his face, rubbing at his eyes. He melted to the floor, his back grazing the wooden edge.

"You're right." He said, his voice muffled. "I got shit to do and here I am keepin' your sorry ass company."

"Well my sorry ass doesn't need your company." Sniper sighed. "But that doesn't change that you're on your knees at her feet. Metaphorically, that is."

"I know. I know, okay?" He spoke into his palms and then snuck a glance through the opening between his fingers. "Is it that bad?" He asked, despite knowing the answer.

"She's a BLU, mate."

"I know!" He whined and overdramatically fell on his side, hands still covering his face.

"Is that gonna stop ya'?"

"Would it stop you?" He asked and then realised how sad his condition really was; asking advice from the perverted Sniper.

"Nah, it doesn't." He shrugged. "Gotta hold back though, since it bothers the hell out of him."

"Oh... hadn't thought of that. Maybe I should ask her. Wouldn't wanna bother if she's workin' an' all and you just said 'him'." Scout's rapid fire words slowed as he reached the end of his sentence. He cut off his babbling as he stared at his teammate in disbelief.

"Yup."

"Who the fuck is him!?"

"BLU Sniper."

"What!?" Scout couldn't believe it. Another one. On his team this time! "Why are you telling me this?"

"You asked." Sniper shrugged again, but Scout sensed his discomfort and thought it would be best to stop shouting in surprise.

He shook his head in shock, but mostly confusion. He knew Sniper was a total pervert, but to be this direct and just reveal all this without a second thought? He remembered when he found out about the BLU Scout. It had been weird as hell, being all accepting and all. If Nurse hadn't been there, his reaction wouldn't have been as kind. The word 'blackmail' came to mind, but Nurse would disapprove of that and the last he wanted was to upset Nurse. Besides, he couldn't really blackmail his own teammates and Sniper had been really tolerant of him lately. While one side of him decided to accept his marksman as a way of repaying the favor, the other side pushed itself to accept only because he knew Nurse would. It couldn't be that bad right? If that's what they're into... but he didn't say anything about the BLU Sniper being...

"Is he?" Scout asked, the second the question popped into his head.

"Is he what?"

"Like you."

"Dunno. Maybe." He shrugged and the vague answer bothered Scout more than his Sniper's grave expression.

"Does he like you back?"

"How the hell should I know... Why do you care, anyway!" He snapped and Scout retreated. He didn't want him getting angry, but damn, he wanted to know.

"Hey! I told you everything about Nurse, can't you tell me this? It's not like I'm gonna judge or anything." He said, trying a smile like he would test out the water before jumping in.

"I'm a pooftah and you don't have a problem with this." Sniper stated more than asked and frowned slightly.

"Hey, I'm an open minded guy, man." Scout smooth talked, flattering himself with his hand placed open over his chest as he lied. He really wasn't, but he would have to work on it if that's what Nurse was into.

"Right..." Sniper rolled his eyes, but Scout was reassured by the small twitch of his lips announcing the beginnings of a smirk. "What d'ya wanna know?"

"Does he like you?" He repeated.

"I think so, but he'd die before admitting it." He chuckled darkly. "Or I'm just bein' arrogant."

Sniper seemed to sadden all over again, despite the small smile still playing on his lips. His thoughts were clearly elsewhere and at this point, Scout couldn't help but ask that one question all ethnicities hated.

"You knew him before all this? Like, in Australia?" He questioned gingerly.

He waited for the classic "I don't know ALL the Australian, jeez Scout!" but it never came. Instead, a soft 'yeah' escaped his lips; it could have been mistaken for an exhale of breath.

"You did? Seriously? Were you friends?"

"Sort of..." He looked away and Scout had never seen him so old and serious.

For a second, he contemplated ending the questions and going back to watching Nurse, but he couldn't help but feel guilty making Sniper think of these things and then just dropping it.

"... sort of?"

The marksman shot him an angry look. He got up, leaned against one of the posts and began to furiously knot some rope he took out of his pocket. When he spoke, he stared out into the distance and Scout wondered what exactly was going through his mind.

And if he was looking for him out there.

"Listen kid, I'm gonna go ahead and make this long story short for your limited attention span. Then, we don't talk about this ever again and you go back to drooling over Miss Nurse." Something about his tone of voice told Scout not to argue. The subject was delicate as is and it made Scout feel uneasy, hearing something so personal from the most private man he knew.

"As cheesy as it is, we met in university. He didn't like me at first because I slept around a lot, but he warmed up to me." He chuckled at the memory. "That is, after I gave him one of my old Swiss army knives I knew he had his eyes on."

"We got close and eventually, he found out about me... you know."

"How'd he find out?" Scout asked, eyes wide like a child during story time.

Sniper smirked. "I told 'im."

"Oh."

"I told him and he didn't say anything. He patted my shoulder and walked away. The next day, he acted like nothing was wrong, but also like I had never said anything. The bloke just blocked out how I felt for him and... bloody hell, I can't believe I'm actually tellin' ya' this."

"Sorry."

"Hey. Don't go pitying me, alright? Just lemme finish the story." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, one night, we went to this party. One of our friends was turning 22 or something, I don't recall. So, after some intense rock paper scissors, I was chosen as the designated driver."

"Well, that sucks!"

"Yeah." He laughed, easing up a bit. "But in the end, it was in my favor. Basically, I stood in the corner of the bar all night with my bloody water and watched."

"The party?"

"Nah mate. Him." He smirked. "I watched him all night. Didn't take my eyes off him and guess what. Bloke barely drank."

"What a loser." Scout snorted, but the comment was ignored.

"But here's the catch. By the end of the night, when I took him home, he was stumblin' all over, kissin' me all over and God, how could I say no, right? Slept with him and then he never forgave me."

"So... he had drunken sex with you?"

"No man gets drunk on 3 beers, Scout." Sniper took a deep breath and shook his head.

It took a moment, but Scout frowned and flew to his feet angrily. "He faked it?! As an excuse to sleep with you?!"

"Yup."

"Son of a bitch!"

"Yup."

"You'd think he'd have the balls to at least admit it!"

"Yup."

Scout paused in the middle of his rant, realising that story had yet to end.

"What happened next?" He asked.

"Nothing much. After his sister died, he left the city and I never saw him again. I stayed, finished my studies and then realised that I couldn't stand the place either. Answered the sketchy add for this job, took it and almost tackled the man into a hug during the blood bond ceremony when I recognized him." Sniper paused and grinned. "He blushed when he saw me. Probably remembered that steamy night we spent toge –"

"EW. Okay! That's enough, thank you!" Scout put his hands over his ears in protest, but was secretly relieved to see the wolf-like grin back on his teammate's face.

"Ya' sure he wasn't just horny?"

"Ha!" He snorted, proudly setting his hands on his hips. "With the look he was giving me? That was more than just horny, mate."

The grin didn't last long though, melting away and giving Sniper a grim, nostalgic air. Scout stared at him, wanting to say more, try to make him feel better, but the man would probably hate that. The Australian enjoyed being alone most of the time anyway and Scout, as impolite as he was, wouldn't want to intrude more than he already had. He held his tongue and Sniper turned away. He set the confiscated scope aside and began to fiddle with his rope again. Scout waited for a few more seconds, but when no more words were spoken, he grabbed the scope to resume his watch.

He was just in time to catch a van roll up in front of the two BLUs. The Scout stepped into the passenger seat, while Nurse went for the second row. In the driver's seat, sat the now famous BLU Sniper, leaning on the steering wheel while the two settled in. They were going to town.

"Hey Snipes...?"

No answer, but Scout knew he could hear him.

"Snipes." He called again, a little louder this time and saw Sniper glance his way from the corner of his eyes.

"What." He replied curtly.

"How about we go to town?" He suggested and threw the scope his way before the man had the chance to reject the idea.

"Hey! Watch it!" He reprimanded, but took a look anyway.

Scout waited for a reaction and smirked when Sniper swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing along his neck.

"Listen..." He sighed, but stopped dead when he set eyes on Scout's pleading face and puppy dog eyes. They weren't the cutest, but worked on most people except for his immune mother.

"I... uh... aw, jeez." He grunted and ran both his hands through his hair, knocking his hat off.

"Fine." He gave in, pulling out a keychain from his back pocket.

"We'll go." He announced, slightly disgruntled while his companion was already on his feet, bouncing in place. "Jus' be quiet about it, okay?"

Sniper had all the windows down, at Nurse's request and the radio on loud, at Scout's. He was secretly enjoying the experience, but still kept a straight face in a way to remind them who was really boss.

"White Hot" was playing and Sniper couldn't keep his hand from tapping to the beat against the wheel as Nurse and Scout mouthed along.

"How the hell d'ya know this song? It's pretty old!" He shouted over the noise of the wind and the music. He got separate replies consisting of "Tom Cochrane's hot!" and "My mom thinks Tom Cochrane is hot!". He laughed, a genuine laugh that was long overdue. That momentary relaxing feeling did not last though, because one look at his rear view mirror was enough to ruin it. The car wasn't close enough for his passengers to realise, but even from the distance it was strategically keeping from him, Sniper recognized the van immediately. He wasn't sure if this was another one of his plans or if it was only a coincidence, but he hoped on the latter as he accelerated in a sad attempt at losing him on a straight road.

Once they got there, Sniper let them go off on their own. The RED's camper was nowhere in sight. He had some errands to run himself. Nothing big really. Mostly some food for his van and some rope to busy himself with since he had recently finished twisting his old ones into an intricate braid. It was just another pastime of his that had grown into a habit when there was nothing else to do on the base. He would never admit it, but his favorite part was picking out the colors and that was a secret well kept between him and the store owner who watched him with an amused smile on his face. Something about seeing big bad mercenaries deciding between shades of blue made the man's day.

They had set a time and a meeting place. Sniper regretted parking his van so far, but they had picked the place after he had parked. Walking wasn't a problem though and neither of them could complain about the weather either. After a bite to eat, the Australian was early, sitting on a bench in front of the pharmacy designated by Nurse. They still had a few minutes and knowing them, they'd use them up to the very last second.

He had told himself that he'd wait until they got back to the base, but there was really nothing much to do but wait... He took out his rope out of its bag, looking around him as if he was guilty of committing some kind of crime. He began knotting and unknotting mindlessly, watching the sun set and the people on the street disappear until there was a comfortable silence all around him. Just like his self control, that did not last long either.

"Hey! That's him!" He heard a few feet away, followed by a loud "Ssshh!"

That could have been directed at anyone, but as a sniper, he knew when eyes were on him.

On the other side of the street, stood a young man with a much older man who had immediately looked away when he had lifted his gaze to them. But the young man held strong. He was glaring at him, but Sniper could tell it was forced by how exaggerated the look was. His arms at his sides and his head held up high; the young man looked like the Australian had wronged him somehow. Sniper had dealt with a good deal of personal grudges throughout his life, but could not pinpoint that one memory that would make the RED Scout seem like he was ready to settle his score.

He returned the stare with wide eyed confusion, hoping it would appease the enemy Scout's misplaced hostility, but the doe eyes shrunk into a frown as the glaring stretched on.

"What." Sniper called into the empty street, but was not granted the privilege of a verbal response. Scout began his stride towards him. One step, two step, two step and a half and a large hand fell on his shoulder, pulling him backwards.

"Hey!" He shrugged him off. "What –"

The older man pulled him aside, whispering at him frantically while he tried to hide his face with his hat.

Sniper sighed and rolled his eyes. He could hardly believe this was happening, but knowing him, it was all purposefully planned out. However, it didn't look that way. His usual suave air was replaced with panic and distress. He had not meant for the Scout to act up, but question was, why would the Scout act up? Sniper couldn't find a reason, unless his counterpart had given the young man one. A pang of worry washed over him as he thought that maybe, certain information had been shared. He hoped not... no... his rival couldn't be THAT stupid...

Whatever the reason, involving him or not, the RED was the one with egg on his face. Still trying to cover himself up; the idiot probably hadn't even realised yet.

"You're wearing your uniform, you know!" He called to them, grabbing their attention. "No use hiding your face, idiot!"

The RED Sniper froze and slowly swiveled on his heels to face him.

"Hello." He said sheepishly.

"Hi."

The RED chuckled awkwardly and buried his fingers into the hair on the back of his head; a nervous habit of his, Sniper remembered. For a few seconds, he could see him debating if he should get closer or not, his foot stretching out to take a step and then returning to its original place. For the next few seconds, he opened and closed his mouth, in an attempt at starting a conversation to end the silence.

"So... " He finally began. "What are ya –"

"Where's Nurse?" The RED Scout interrupted, as if he had just been waiting for the moment to do it.

It was the RED marksman's turn to sigh when his younger teammate jogged past him. When the boy was already halfway across the street, the counterpart followed, shaking his head.

"You don't even try to hide it, do you?" Sniper said through a clenched jaw.

"Where is she?" He repeated, slightly reddened. "And the Scout?"

"They should be here any minute now." He answered reluctantly. He wanted them to go away, but there was no way he was leaving now. Besides, the twerp wouldn't stop until he got a satisfactory answer. If he had refused to answer, the kid wouldn't leave him alone, if he had lied, he would go off looking for the poor girl. There was no escaping him.

"Good." He said with a curt nod, as if Nurse's whereabouts were official affairs. The RED boy sat himself down on the bench and then scooted over to leave an empty space between them. Sniper did not miss the small sideways tilt of the head that the boy sent his teammate.

The BLU didn't know what his counterpart had planned or had let slip out of his mouth, but whatever it was, things were not going his way. Nevertheless, the bushman in red took the seat, sandwiched between two very bizarre individuals to be sandwiched by.

"Ow!" The RED Sniper cried, only five seconds after he had sat down.

"Sorry." His teammate replied, looking away and sniffing nonchalantly as if he hadn't just nudged the Australian in the ribs.

Sniper wished they would just leave. Having him this close was unbearably awkward and he could just feel himself heating up. The ongoing silence was just the miserable cherry on top of this bizarre situation. Sniper didn't know why he was here, didn't know why he had brought the Scout along too and most of all, what he had told the Scout because the signs were starting to be become more and more evident. Sniper is no expert in reading people, but watching them through a scope has given him enough experience. The pointing, the yelling, the whispering, followed by him sitting down, scooting over, motioning at him to take the seat in between and then finally nudging him; a possible sign of encouragement? Whichever way the story went, Sniper's conclusions were all the same and if he'd be willing to talk to him, he'd let him know that he didn't appreciate him telling the Scout of all people. After all, it's his story too right? What give him the right to go blab it to some love sick kid!

He was getting angry at him again, but he always was anyway. He could hardly remember the last time he smiled at him.

That was a lie.

But the growth of the anger paused when he heard him clear his throat and then he felt it stir in him for a moment when he felt his eyes on him. Finally, it evaporated when he spoke because he just sounded so tired and so sad and so apologetic like he had all these years ago.

"How've you been?" He said, averting his eyes as soon as the BLU's turned to look at him.

"Alright." He shrugged. "How 'bout you?"

"You know what it's like." He said, his lips in a grim line, but his eyes shone with the hint of a smile, staring at him from underneath his hat.

"Y –yeah." He stuttered, trying to gulp down the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. This was no time to get emotional, but it happened every single time the man decided to be decent with him, to be genuine when speaking to him without any underhanded flirtations. He made him nostalgic and he hated that, it gave him false hope, reminding him of all the good they were capable of with each other.

They sat gazing at each other, not romantically or anything, but still long and lingering. They're eyes reading each other's inner struggles, it was almost as if they were on the battlefield itself, only with reversed roles. While RED fought, pleading and begging to be let in, BLU fought even harder, keeping the barriers shut. RED didn't care about the consequences, but only about what he was after. BLU could not even bear to think about the results if he gave up the silent battle of stares.

However, this wasn't the battlefield. And even if BLU was clearly the better sniper, RED dominated when it came to seduction, especially when it involved staring at his counterpart. The poor man was unprotected against his hard, lovesick stares and RED could just see the hesitation in the man.

"Oh shit." Their contest was interrupted by the Scout, standing up abruptly and running into the street.

The two Australians followed his path to what seemed to be the problem.

"Shit." The BLU hissed and got up as well.

He knew there was a problem the second he saw Nurse running faster than their Scout. Then he was absolutely certain there was a problem when he realized that the reason Scout was so slow was because the boy was clutching at his abundantly bleeding side. Now if that wasn't the problem, he didn't want to know what was.

He rushed over to the boy, while the RED Scout took care of Nurse. She was white as a sheet and wobbly on her feet, but in once piece nonetheless. She was mumbling frantically at the both of them, her head snapping from the RED to the BLU and then to the bleeding BLU. She stammered through her sentences as she tried to keep her shaking hands steady. Sniper didn't like it, but he was thankful that the RED Scout was being helpful in that department, holding her wrists in his grasp and her face with his other.

"He just... We need to put him s- somewhere... oh God... right now." He heard her stutter to the Scout, who gave her his undivided attention while she tried to squirm away from his hold.

Immediately, Sniper knew there was more to this than could be seen. He didn't know how Scout had gotten his injury, but what gave him that cut wasn't ordinary. Nurse looked like she had just witnessed something horrible and judging by her profession, it wasn't the blood that had disturbed her so, so what was? He wanted to ask, but time was not on their as his teammate's life was rapidly leaking out of him.

"We have to drive back." He announced. "Nurse, will you be able to work in my van?"

"Yes." She said, seeming to have regained her senses.

Nurse separated herself from the RED Scout and rushed to her teammate.

"Scout, are you applying pressure?" She asked him, sounding more professional than crazy this time.

The lightheaded young man nodded, but he was losing his strength as he lost blood and wouldn't be able to maintain his wound the way he was.

"Sniper, help" She called for him urgently. "We need to help him get there."

He nodded and reached out to put an arm underneath his injured teammate, but paused halfway in the motion when he felt a hand on his shoulder. The RED Sniper was beside him.

"Mine's closer." He said, his eyes no longer smiling, but serious.

"What?"

"My van is closer. C'mon." He said, pointing at the curb down the street where, without fail, sat the RED's van.

Sniper hesitated for a moment, but Nurse had already made the decision, guiding Scout towards the designated vehicle. His opinion on the matter apparently irrelevant, Sniper made himself useful and followed.

"Scout, keep the pressure on. BLU Sniper, you drive. REDs, you help." She ordered and did not wait for their consent. Scout's life was on the line; they were helping whether they liked it or not.

"Shouldn't I drive?" The RED Sniper asked, keeping up with Nurse.

"I need you to show me your first aid kit."

They carried Scout into the van and laid him on the bed. He wasn't doing too well, groaning through clenched teeth and breathing way too hard.

"Lift him up." She said to the two REDs as her own Sniper started the car.

She removed his bloodstained shirt and cast it aside, revealing the wound. The stabbing injury was right between his ribs.

"Shit." She hissed and muttered something about intercostals muscles. "Sniper, please tell me you have a needle and thread in there."

"Yes."

"Thank God, okay. Scout," She called him and he was by her side in an instant. "Grab a new cloth, his shirt won't do. Apply pressure and make sure he doesn't pass out."

Sniper watched from the rear view mirror. He would be smirking at the odd sight if it weren't for the state of his teammate. RED Scout kneeled close to the BLU, pushing down at his ribs while he spoke to him to keep him awake.

However his eyes followed Nurse as she moved around the bed.

And his counterpart's did not tear from his, making eye contact through the mirror. His stare was hard, worried and heart-wrenchingly apologetic.


	18. Chapter 18

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 18- Gut feelings

By, the Unlucky-Charm

**A/N: Not much to say about this chapter. Too much dialogue in my opinion. Requests are still open on Tumblr, although it might take me a while to get to yours. **

"Calm down, toots. He's still breathin'"

"Leave her alone, mate. Let her work."

They were moving. Well, not anymore, but he was certain they had been. They had stopped now. He didn't know where and he didn't know why, but he very clearly recalled them moving. He remembered the van. There was something different about it, but it was definitely the van. After that, there was only moving and now, stopping. Anything beyond that was a total blank. A black, undecipherable emptiness in which he searched for puzzle pieces to put together an explanation; the absence of any kept him ignorant of what had happened.

Now, he had started hearing the voices. They sounded like they were coming from miles away, but he could feel their presence nearby. He wanted to reach out to them, but something about them had him on guard. These weren't the right voices.

"We're not going anywhere until he's conscious."

Ah, that was better. Much more comforting. He could risk a move, take a chance and reach out to that specific voice, the one that flooded relief into him like water through a breaking dam. He could feel its owner as well. Her head was resting on his chest. She knew much more efficient ways to check his pulse, but she chose that one. Because she needed to be close to him, because she worried a lot, because she had been worried. He had seen it in her face. And she knew he'd be afraid, so she came close. And for that, he was most thankful.

His hand brushed through her hair and he mentally smiled when she escaped his touch in surprise.

"Scout?" She called to him.

"Hey..." He tried to actually smile, but it took way too much effort. His lips were dry. She must have noticed too because a few seconds later, cold water was running down his mouth. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, kid." An Australian. Not his, though. Huskier than his.

"Scout... open your eyes."

"No... it's okay..."

"Scout, please."

She was begging him. She was scared. He didn't want her to be, but it was hard to follow her orders. Either his eyelids had gotten way heavier than he remembered them being, or they were simply stuck together. Whatever the reason, he couldn't seem to wrench them open. Suddenly, he was struck by light coming from the small slit he managed to open. He pushed harder and he was blinded. He tried to shield his sensitive eyes with his arm, but it only moved an inch before falling limp by his side.

"Aghh..." He groaned, turning his head away.

"Scout." She was by his side, holding the unmoving hand. "Scout, it's okay. Don't move."

He obeyed and finally got used to the light, which turned out to be not as bright as he thought it was. He saw her and he smiled. She smiled back and took a deep breath, which was great to see because she looked like she hadn't taken one in a while.

"Don't move. The Snipers are going to help you sit up, okay?" She moved aside to let said snipers do their job.

"Snipers?" Scout frowned, slightly panicked by the sight of his enemy wrapping his arm around his waist. The man didn't utter a word, which was unlike him, and retrieved just as silently when Scout was sitting up. His side ached, like someone was jabbing a small needle into the open wound. Wait... wound?

He glanced down and was shocked to see that there was, in fact, a stitched up wound present on his side, between his ribs. That must have been the trigger he had been anticipating because everything just came rushing back. The store, the short cut, the alley, the Spy with the knife... The Spy... but it wasn't actually... He shook his head. Remembering hurt. Besides, he could just ask Nurse for details. She witnessed the attack, after all.

In front of him sat yet another enemy. His counterpart raised his hand in a lazy salute and let it fall back into his lap. He couldn't remember them specifically, but he knew there had been more than one person around when he was dragged to a van.

"Where are we?" He asked.

"In the RED Sniper's van, less than a mile away from the base. We couldn't drive in with you unconscious, it would stir up some panic." The BLU Sniper explained. "Plus, I think we need to come up with an explanation for why were showing up together."

"Okay. You do that. I need some air." Nurse said, running her still shaking hands through her hair before leaving the van.

When the door slammed behind her, all heads turned to him in anticipation. What exactly they were waiting for him to say, he did not know.

"What?" He asked.

"Are you gonna tell us what happened?" BLU Sniper asked.

"Yeah, Nurse won't say." Scout added.

He felt skeptical. If Nurse hadn't said anything, maybe he shouldn't either. Hell, he barely understood what happened himself and he was the one who got stabbed. It would be hard to actually make the blur into a story.

"We just... we took a short cut. We went through an alley but it wasn't those small sketchy ones, ya' know? Just a regular passageway. It just... It appeared out of nowhere, I –"

"It?"

"... I don't know. To be honest..." He didn't go on. He didn't want to make false accusations. He wasn't sure and just the mention of his name would push all of them to draw a conclusion.

"Go on, mate." His Sniper encouraged him, but it still didn't feel right when he said it.

"I um... Okay. Just, no assumin' things! You have ta' understand that I'm not sure about what I saw." He snapped at them. "And Nurse... That's why Nurse won't tell you. 'Cause what happened was fuckin' weird." He shivered at the memory.

They all nodded, but it was probably only because they wanted to hear what happened next.

"It just lunged forward at us. I threw Nurse behind me and it just made whizzing noises and it was really freaky. Like, it was acting up or some shit. So it just stabbed me and then we ran off."

"Okay, but what's _it?_"

His gaze visited each and every person gathered around his bed. He pleaded with his eyes, hoping that one of them would at least save him, reassure him that there was no need for him to go on if he felt uncomfortable. Of course, no such thing happened. They were all dying of suspense already, hoping that he'd have this mind blowing, dramatic story. They awaited for a Hollywood answer and they were going to get one. Difference was, his story was more science fiction than action. In the end, they weren't going to believe a word he said.

"Spy." e saidHe He blurted out and regretted it instantly.

A chorus of 'what's and 'which one's resonated through his ears as each person asked the same questions more than once.

"I don't know man!" He snapped at them, talking in huge, jerky hand movement. "He was just there but his... his eyes were glowing and he wasn't talking like... he wasn't making human noises alright?! And I'm not crazy! Nurse saw it too and she's lying if she denies it! That thing wasn't human, but it sure as hell looked like Spy! It just..."

"...just what, mate?" His only teammate spoke to him softly.

"I'm not crazy." He repeated. "Snipes, I swear. She saw it too."

"Saw what?"

"A –a robot. A big fucking Spy android." He said, his strained voice on the verge of cracking. He shook his head, as if he himself was in disbelief after his own revelation. It didn't make it less true, though. He knew what he saw and Nurse did too. He let out a deep breath he didn't know he had been holding. It was a huge relief, speaking the truth, but now a new weight pressed on his chest. If they didn't believe him... if they didn't believe Nurse... what would happen? And if they did? What were they going to do? What do people normally do when they get attacked by a man-like machine!? Thing is, normally, people don't get attack by man-like machines.

He hadn't dared look up yet, scared of the disappointed or pitying stares he would get. He didn't want to be treated like the poor kid who lived a traumatizing experience that damaged him and drove him insane. With his job and his everyday life? Very little could end up scarring him anymore.

"How big?"

His neck snapped up toward the source of the question. His RED counterpart, still sitting across of him, had his gaze locked on his face, eyes looking dead serious and gleaming with excitement.

"Spy's height, but he was bulkier, obviously." He cleared his throat. "I mean... he _was_ made of metal."

"Did it say anything or was it just makin' buzzin' noises?"

"Why would it say anythin'?"

"I dunno. It depends. If he was looking for you specifically, it might like, introduce you to your doom. Tell you who sent him, say something about revenge or something." He shrugged.

"No, it didn't do that. It just slashed its knife around, but it did..." He gulped. This was definitely the eeriest part. "It did sorta recognize us."

"It detected that you were humans."

"No... no it... scanned us? I think it knew who we were. I think it was waiting..."

He wanted to stop talking. The other Scout might be siding with him, but he did not miss the irritated look that the snipers were sharing while they discussed. It was only a matter of time until one of them stepped in.

"Look, kid. Are you sure it wasn't a bloke in a costume or wearing –I don't know- armor or something?" The RED Sniper tried to reason with him, but it was all in vain. He knew what he had seen and it was still clear in his head. Either that thing was a robot Spy or a really impressive movie prop on the run. Funny how the latter was more unlikely in such a small town than the first.

"No way, man. If you don't believe me entirely, I swear, I get you, but I'm not lying. It was a metal Spy that attacked us. I saw it scan Nurse. Fuckin' weird..." His side ached at the memory. The bluish light coming out of its mouth, running over their faces and bodies as it swung its blade around.

"Look, it's getting dark. We need to get back. We'll figure this out, or forget about it. Up to you all. But we really need to get back and think of an excuse on the way because Soldier is not going to be pleased to see his teammates stepping out of the enemy's van." BLU Sniper stepped in.

"Well Soldier will just have to understand." All their heads turned to the rather disgruntled Nurse standing at the van's entrance with her arms crossed over her chest. She did not look too happy. "His teammate was attacked by a fucking robot, he better fucking understand."

She slammed the door behind her and made her way to her Scout's bedside to look over her needlework. She guided Scout onto his back once again and started her check up from the top.

"We should really get moving, though." She added, without even glancing at anyone else.

"Right." The snipers said in unison, making for an excruciatingly awkward moment where they tried to side step around each other, both trying to get to the door and trying to let the other pass at the same time. Flustered, the BLU Sniper ended up backing away completely and not budging until his counterpart had a four step head start at least.

"So I guess Snipes is riding shotgun." The BLU Scout stated, raising his eyebrows at the door through which the two marksmen had just left.

"I guess so." Nurse sighed and backed away to curl up on the bench opposite to Scout's makeshift bed just as the engine roared to life. She started at the sound of the rumbling, gasping involuntarily and cussing under her breath, much to her dismay. She was clearly still shaken by the incident, but had regained enough of her reasoning to be peeved about her foolish reaction to the start of a car. Nurse would have to keep away from loud machinery for at least a week. "Christ..." She hissed at herself and pressed her forehead against her knees.

The BLU mercenary had never seen his rival move so fast on the field, let alone in a closed space like the van, when he suddenly appeared on the bench next to Nurse.

"Hey. No need to be scared, darlin'. I won't let no Spy touch ya'." He said, casually wrapping his arm around her entire frame and pulling her closer to him. She didn't respond, really, but she didn't resist either. Nurse just sort of followed the way Scout moved her and didn't object when he set his chin atop her head.

"They're all a bunch o' scumbags. I can take all of 'em out in a second." He boasted. "Uh, no offence man." He added for the sake of the BLU Scout, who really wouldn't have disagreed with him at this point.

"There's something wrong." Nurse finally spoke up. She raised her head from its nest between her knees and was startled to see how very close the RED Scout had gotten during her personal reflection. Her head reeled back slightly and blinked at the young man, perplexed, who in turn, blinked back.

"What is?" He practically whispered, eyes wide and fluttering.

Meanwhile, the BLU Scout rolled his eyes and tried to keep himself from gagging at the sappiness that _was_ the RED Scout at this point. Seeing him like this reduced him to harmless in the BLU's head.

"I'm tired of hearing 'Spy'." She snapped, turning away from him again, only to have his eyes desperately follow. "First he stabs me, then he stabs you and now, his robot version stabs him! Right now, I'm seriously considering some very irrational ideas."

"Like?"

"Like fucking skinning the bastard." She growled. No, like, literally _growled_. "I mean, there's no respawn out there. He could've _died._ All because of some machine, that still happens to be out there, by the way." She went on, her tone giving away her distress.

"Hey, I thought –hey." He grabbed her chin and yanked her attention away from whatever empty space her eyes had zoned out to. "Listen to me. No Spy, no robot, no robot Spy and not even a fucking robot Heavy is going to hurt ya'. I'll kick their metal asses if they try."

She spared him a sad smirk and spoke in a small voice. "You shouldn't do that, it might damage your ankle."She said and stood up before he could respond.

She walked to the nearest window, pulling the raggedy curtain aside . "We're here." She announced, just as the van came to a halt in front of the BLU base.

"Stay here." She said to her two scouts. "I'll check if the coast is clear."

And with that, she strode out of there, leaving the two young men alone together.

The BLU Scout cleared his throat, hoping to get his rival's attention, who was currently fiddling with the hem of Sniper's old quilt. If he had acknowledged him at all, he was doing a great job at being a subtle. The BLU went on anyway.

"You should tell her." He said, receiving a venomous glare, but a look nonetheless.

"You think I don't know that?" He muttered.

"Yeah, I do." He said and swung his legs around so that they hung over the edge of the bed. "And I see ya' tryin' too. Thing is, when it comes to herself, I'm slowly noticing that she ain't too observant... you know, like she usually is with others."

"So what's you point?" The RED Scout rolled his eyes, yet listened in intently.

"You're gonna havta be direct. Just tell her how it is. No signals, just the message in black and white."

"Nah, look man... It's not... It's not like that, okay? Forget it." He shook his head.

"Whatever. Not my crush, not my problem." He shrugged and attempted to step off the bed on his own.

Despite the nasty look he gave him after that last comment, the RED was kind enough to help his enemy onto his feet when he saw him grunting in pain as he noticeably stretched Nurse's handiwork. He put his arm around him, supporting and leading him all the way out the van.

They had stopped on the side of the base, where their own Sniper usually parked his camper van. The side door, also known as the door barely anybody used, hung open, the light from the hallway creating a bright rectangle against the pitch black night, without outshining it. Nurse, her eyes having not yet adjusted, was still blind and had only that rectangle to guide her.

"... he's just dropping us off, mate. We had some uh... complications." She heard Sniper say somewhere in front of her.

A figure stood at the threshold, smoke floating out of his mouth as he listened to Sniper's story. The marksman seemed to be trying to convince the doorman rather than just explaining.

"Complications? You do realise, monsieur, that you are being dropped off by your enemy? Do you really expect me to just let in you in, no questions asked? Or am I supposed to ask you how the date went? Did you kids have a nice time?"

Spy's irritation could not be mistaken for anything else. The man was pissed and after further examination, exhausted looking. Under the artificial light, the darkness underneath his eyes was accentuated. Nurse found that odd. Spy had never seemed to her like the type to lose sleep or the type to let other things rob him of his rest.

"Spy? Are you okay?" She asked him once she had appeared in sight.

"Yes. I am fine. I haven't been sleeping enough these past few days because of some extra work I have been assigned. I was _hoping_ to go to bed earlier today, but _instead_ I stayed up, lying to the Soldier about your whereabouts." He snapped, mostly at the Sniper, but Nurse knew it was meant for all three of them when he addressed her with a glare. "So Nurse, do you have a valid excuse for your tardiness?"

He was being incredibly spiteful and he spoke each word with enough zest that it felt like she was being jabbed in the stomach with each syllable. Two could play at that game; Spy wasn't the only one who was tired and annoyed.

"Yes, but for the record, no one asked you to lie for us. We would have been perfectly capable of explaining our complications to Soldier ourselves." She said, bittersweet. "I believe your frustration is misplaced, sir. Besides, I think you will come to find our excuses to be valid."

The Spy scowled at her, one side of his upper lip flaring up. "You best hope so, child."

"Nurse? Hey, Nurse, you wanna help out here?!" The RED Scout called from the darkness behind them.

Nurse turned to see a blur of a silhouette a few feet away from them and was about to rush to it when a loud snort stopped her in her tracks.

"You are rather quick to run to your lover." The Spy rolled his eyes, followed by a most taunting look, made only to provoke her.

She frowned. "He's not –"

"Hey." They appeared. "Hey, you should really redo these stitches, Nurse. He kinda stretched them out a bit."

The BLU Scout was still shirtless, his scar exposed for everyone to see. She hadn't even put gauze over it; she didn't see a point since Medic would be healing him soon enough. While Scout's nakedness and injury might have been the main attraction for Spy, Nurse was very much enjoying the show the Frenchman was putting on. His sly demeanor fell and he was no longer the rotten snake that was taking shots at her but a few seconds ago. A flash of terror crossed his features at the sight of the gruesome skin, cut apart and then brought back together with a mess of string. He dropped his cigarette, or made it seem that way when in fact, it had fallen out of his mouth.

He rushed over to him, but kept his strides calm and his shoulders straight. His mannerisms were collected, professional, but the expressions that fought over his features gave away much more. He pressed his lips together and shifted his eyes from the boy's face to his torso where the injury slashed across his side. He kneeled, the Spy actually _kneeled_, in front of him. Just a slight bend of the knees to level himself with the cut, but kneeling nonetheless. He traced his gloved hands over it, wrinkling his nose at the Frankenstein's monster style stitching.

"What the hell happened?" He hissed and shot back up to his feet, meeting the Scout's surprised gaze.

"I –I was stabbed." He muttered, sending pleading glances over to Nurse in between words.

"By who?!" He snarled, glancing over to the enemy Sniper, ready to kill him if Scout were to speak his name.

"You should be looking at yourself, Spook." The marksman in red gloated.

"What?" Spy spat. "What are you implying, Bushman?" He glowered at the RED Sniper, his grip on the Scout's shoulders tightening.

"I ain't implying shit. You just be thankful my van was close." He finished and turned away, heading back to his van. "Comin' kid?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure." The RED Scout glanced back and forth between Nurse and Sniper, confused as to where to go even though Nurse had not invited him to stay at any point in time. With a gentle cock of her head, Nurse motioned at him to leave and so he did, slightly disappointed.

It was only when they had drove off that the four remaining BLUs addressed each other.

"I apologize, Nurse." The Spy said, much to everyone's surprise. "I have… " He cleared his throat and sighed. "The new intelligence. It's been impossible to decipher. I can't make sense of it."

"Skippin' sleep, Spook?" Sniper patted him on the back.

"I'm afraid so." His eyes fell blank as he shook his head. "And then you were late. I knew something had gone wrong."

"Aw, Spy was worried about his idiot teammates." Sniper cooed.

Spy snorted. "At least you accept what you are. You show up with your boyfriend, smiling with his oversized canines and the lovesick idiot falling cross eyed at her feet, practically drooling over her and you expect me not to ask questions? Then this one steps out," he motioned to the Scout, "pale as a sheet, sliced up and sewn back together!"

"We were attacked." Nurse explained. "The RED Sniper offered us a ride. His van was closer and we had to hurry. Is Medic awake?"

"Non." Spy took out a cigarette with a shaking hand and stuck it between his lips. "But I may be able to bother the Labourer for you. He owes me a favour."

"As long as you're the one asking. He'll kill me if I say dispenser one more time." Scout said, limping past the Spy and into the base with the Sniper in tow, his hands hovering cautiously around the young man.

"After you." The Frenchman said, but Nurse made no move to enter the base. Instead, she reached out her hands, cupping one of his gently. She turned it over, examining the palm and the knuckles with the smallest of smiles playing on her lips.

"How much coffee have you had?" She asked him, rolling her eyes up to meet his.

"I feel like I'm going to throw it up." He said and she laughed.

"You should rest."

"I know."

"We can't have a jumpy Spy with shaking hands, you know." She said, dropping his hand and straightening herself before him. "It'll jeopardize the team's performance on the field."

"I doubt that's your main concern, miss Nurse."

"It's not." She replied rapidly. "I want to help with the intel."

Spy raised a curious brow. "Oh?"

"Something's wrong."

His face fell and darkened immediately as he leaned in. "What do you know?" He whispered urgently.

"I'm not even sure of what I know." She sighed. "There's just… something's gonna happen. Something bad."

"A gut feeling?"

"Several. But none without reason."

"I see…" He glanced sideways and shut his eyes, like he was in great pain. " Nurse. What attacked him?" He asked gravely.

That was when she realized that the study of the intelligence was not what had kept him up, but its content. The robot... that's what the Intel was about! He had figured it out! She didn't blame him; such information would give anyone nightmares. Spy had not been worried about them, he had been anxious. When one is scared, they fear the worst and when they had not arrived on time, that might have sparked some new theories in his head. Spy had figured it out and was hoping his answers were wrong, but the return of an injured Scout and a mess of a Nurse was no coincidence. Everything was linked and he knew it. After all, his knowledge of the robot was clear within his own question; _what_ attacked him. Not who.

She pressed her lips together and nodded so subtly that Spy would have missed it if he hadn't been waiting for it. She left him standing there, mouth agape and words at loss. As she made her way down the hallway, she heard a soft, disbelieving "Bon Dieu" before turning the corner.

**RED base**

A crooked smile, crossed arms and obnoxiously perfect hair met him at his bedroom door; just the kind of face he was in the mood to punch and just the kind of grin he'd love to wipe off a pair of lips at this very moment.

"What." He demanded from the RED Nurse

"I'm very proud of you, Scout." He smiled, condescending as always.

"What the fuck for?"

"Oh, don't be so modest. You and Sniper gave the female Nurse and her teammates a ride, did you not? Very gentlemanly of you, if you catch my drift." He winked at him, which aggravated Scout all the more.

"No. I don't. Mind movin' aside?"

"Oh Scout." He sighed without budging an inch. "This little stunt of yours will contribute to the plan greatly. You two have gained not only her trust, but some of her teammates' as well! I will inform Soldier of your good work."

"No. No way. Don't make this a group thing, okay? That was _your_ plan. I didn't agree to shit. We just gave them a ride 'cause one of 'em was hurt." He pointed a warning finger at him, but not even his smile faltered.

"Then why did you help?"

"Excuse me?" He was losing his patience. He didn't have much in the first place, but it was slowly evaporating from his body.

"Why did you help them if you weren't trying to gain her trust and help with the plan?" Nurse's tone had taken a serious turn and Scout felt like he was being trapped.

"Kid was bleedin' ta' death, alright? Can't just leave him there!"

"Since when is the wellbeing of a BLU your concern?" He asked, arms tightening around his chest.

"I –its' not! She needed someplace to work. You know, fix him and shit." He shrugged, trying to keep his voice down even though he was already on the verge of shouting. "We drove them to their base so Medic could heal it before it scarred –hey..." Scout's face twisted itself into an ugly snarl. "How the _fuck_ do you know all of this?" He spat.

"That's irrelevant." He said and pretended to clean the dirt out of his nails.

"Um, no it really ain't!" Scout jabbed a finger into his teammate's chest. "It's fuckin' creepy is what it is!"

"Scout, I would rather not talk about this." He sighed.

"Fuck you. I can ask questions too, alright? Now tell me or get outta my face!" Scout was furious, growling out his words through clenched teeth and jaw.

"I don't want to embarrass you, Scout." He said calmly. "This is clearly about _her. _I don't want to get into it."

"The hell you don't!"

"Fine." He sighed, once again and Scout swore if he did it one more time, he was kicking the guy's teeth in. "If you must know –"

"I do."

"Right." He cleared his throat. "If you must know... I can smell her on you."

Scout's expression relaxed, settling into a confused frown and blinking eyes. "What?"

"Her smell is all over you, Scout." He said, cracking a suggestive grin and raising his brows as high as possible. "I wasn't going to say anything because well..." He chuckled. "I really didn't think her to be that kind of girl –"

There was a loud slam and Scout's fists were bunched up in the front of Nurse's shirt, holding him a foot above the ground. His biceps were aching underneath the weight and strain, but the white hot anger he felt rushing through his veins was giving him some extra strength. Even that wasn't enough. Scout wished he could hurl the bastard through the goddamn door instead of just holding him against it.

"She's _not._" He hissed.

"Oh my... Don't ... Don't tell me you -" He snorted out a laugh. "Is this a soft spot I see?"

"Shut the fuck up. You don't see shit!" He slammed him against the door once again, his head hitting the wood with a sickening crack. But Nurse recovered fast. "And how the fuck do you know how she smells!? I knew you were a total creep! How do you know how she smells?!"

A wide grin stretched across his face and the twinkle in his eyes told Scout he'd regret asking that question.

"Like I said,"

Scout wanted to kill him. He could've, he just needed to hear it.

"I would have never thought her to be. That kind. Of girl."

A moment and a loud slam of a door later, the RED Nurse stood smiling, pleased, in front of a closed bedroom door, through which a furious RED Scout had stormed a few seconds ago. He smoothed out the wrinkles from his shirt, straightened it and walked back to his own room, hands behind his back as if he had stepped out from an evening stroll.


	19. Chapter 19

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 19- Puzzle Pieces

By, the Unlucky-Charm

Nurse wandered her hand out from under the makeshift hair salon smock made out of an old hospital scrub she had found lying around in the infirmary cabinets and felt at the nape of her neck where her newly cropped wet hair stuck to her skin. She ran her fingers over the strand and gasped at how quickly it ended. She had never had hair this short and was anxious to see what it looked like. Pyro had hid all the mirrors; he wanted it to be a surprise.

She wasn't sure how long she had stood, indecisive, in front of the mirror, scissors in hand, staring at herself before the Pyro barged in, realized what was happening and seized the pair from her loose grasp, only to drag her to a sink to get the job done himself.

She had to admit, the amount of time and effort he put into styling it was a good sign; he probably knew what he was doing and hopefully, that meant that the Nurse in the mirror would not turn out to be a complete disaster.

/

In the rec room, he found almost the entirety of his team lounging around, going about their own business, like they always did on rainy days where the drops plummeted down on their heads like bullets, making driving a hassle and outdoor training impossible. Chess, reading, watching television or sleeping were some of the more popular choices of activity, neither of which interested Scout in any way. Uninterested, he decided to seek out the few missing faces for some more entertaining interaction. Pyro, Nurse and Spy were missing. Out of those three, only one fit his criteria of enviable company, while the other two varied on different levels of insanity. And so, he went off in search of Nurse.

"Scout!"

He stopped dead in his tracks, flinching at the thick German accent calling after him.

"I need a favor."

No. No, no, no. When a crazy German doctor asks for a favor, it never ends well, for both your body and your mind. He shuddered at the memory. "Sure!" He had answered, naive.

"What." He said dryly, without even turning around to face the man.

"Can you take this to Spy, please?"

At the mention of his name, Scout's curiosity spun him around to face, not the doctor, but the mystery item meant for the man who never failed to leave him like a long run would: breathless. It was a cup of steaming coffee that was handed to him.

"He hasn't slept. He keeps coming in here and loading up on coffee. It's bad for his health."

Scout stared at the mug in his hands. "And you're helping him?"

"No." He chuckled. "It's decaf."

Moments later, he stood frozen in front of the doorway to forbidden territories, also known as Spy's bedroom. If it weren't for the cup of coffee in his hands threatening to cool down, he could have hesitated all day, but its warmth reminded him of his delivery and the consequences he would face from its recipient if he failed, not to mention the sender. He gingerly tapped at the wood, barely making any noise and bracing himself for what he would face behind it.

The door creaked open and the smell of smoke, coffee and sweat hit him almost as hard as Spy's appearance did. The 5 o'clock shadow he was used to seeing at the end of the day had darkened by several shades and in the dimly lit room, could have been mistaken for a full on beard. His eyes were rimmed red and circled with charcoal beneath. Spy looked beyond exhausted, squinting at the artificial light and gritting his teeth at the poor fool that had dared disturb him.

"What." He hissed, his face somewhat softening at the sight of Scout.

"Medic sent this." He said, thrusting the mug to his chest, almost spilling half its contents onto his wrinkled suit. Yes, wrinkled; that's how bad his state was.

Spy blinked at the coffee and delicately wrapped his fingers around it, cradling it in his arms with grace, as if Scout had just handed him a newborn child.

"He also said that you need to sleep. I agree." Scout leaned sideways to get a glimpse of the room, only to see that it was as much of a mess as he was. "You look like shit." He added, knowing it would get to him.

"Yes, well..." His eyes fluttered shut as he interrupted himself to take a large swig. "All the work, I haven't had time to... well, to do anything, really." He said, his voice hoarse after having loudly gulped down a quarter of the cups content.

"Right..." Scout nodded, still worried.

They stood there awkwardly, Spy staring down into his drink and Scout staring down at his feet, each taking turns to clear their throats.

"Well..." Spy muttered.

"Right, well... I'll leave you to it, I guess." Scout said, scratching the back of his head nervously.

He wasn't sure what it was exactly, that made him stick his foot through the door just when it was about to close shut, but it was between the Spy's shaking hand on the doorknob or the last desperate look he sent him before turning away.

Spy's head shot back, frowning when he found the source of the obstacle.

"What?" He asked.

Scout shook his head. "That's decaf, your room is covered in papers and you smell like my socks."

"Uh..."

"Give me that!" Scout stepped into the room and ripped the mug from the Frenchman's hands. "You go bathe. I'll clean this place up. If you're not back in twenty minutes, I'm comin' in after ya'. Got it?"

"B –but I –"

"Go! Twenty minutes." He kicked him out of his own room, towel flying out after him.

Although Scout barely ever got to see any of the Intel, other than the few words he caught off the sheets flying out of the briefcase while he ran, even he could tell if information would be hell to decipher. And the papers he picked up from the ground and stacked neatly onto the Spy's desk were one hell after the other. While some contained an unconnected series of anonymous conversations, others held pages and pages of binary code, zeros and ones galore. If this wrinkled the Spy's shirt, it would downright kill any of the others if they were to take a shot at it. For the time being, Scout set the intelligence down, before his own brain exploded.

In the Spy's closet, the deepest end of this forbidden land, Scout found his suit jackets and the rest of his everyday attire. He set them out on his bed, the sheets undisturbed, mask, tie and everything. Hell, he didn't even keep his own room this clean, but he knew Spy would be skeptical is he came to find the mess untouched. The bed area was pretty neat by now, but the real problem were the papers scattered about the floor, desk and –Scout shook his head- the ones he had bothered sticking on the walls. Sighing, Scout got to work and in the first few seconds already, noticed the organisational pattern. The desk was covered with the regular Intel, meaning the typical bullshit with the RED logo plastered somewhere on the page. The floor was home to all the binary code, covering the pages front and back, which Scout decided it be best not to stare at too long because all those numbers were making him dizzy. Finally, he deemed the pages stuck to the wall most important and most intriguing. They held neither a logo or numbers. In fact, the pages were mostly blank save a single line or two printed in the center of each page. Scout tried to link a few, but each page spoke of something completely irrelevant from the other. Some of them sounded more like orders at a restaurant than top secret information.

One paper, however, stood out from the rest, seeing as Spy had highlighted the short line in bright yellow. Discarding the stack of binary code he had cleaned up from the floor into one of his drawers, he plucked that specific sheet of the wall.

_"Question the Red Cross."_

"The Red Cross?" Scout said out loud, holding the paper with both hands. He looked up, hoping to find more highlighted lines, but found none. He instead ended up browsing over as many as he possibly could. A few caught his eye.

_"They mirror them well."_

_"The new are sane. The sane call upon the sane."_

"What the hell is this shit!?" He shouted at the papers, casting them flying onto the bed. He wasn't ready to take on the frustration of decoding the mysterious messages, let alone in the most frustrating room in the base, surrounded by the most frustrating cologne of the most frustrating person he knew!

"Gah!" He grunted and fell back, crumpling some of them underneath his weight. His hand landed on one and he couldn't help but pick it up again. It was the one about the mirrors. Lazily, he ran his eyes over it. Set it on his face. Picked it up again. Read it. Folded it into a card. Opened the card. Read it again. Closed the card. Widened his eyes. Opened the card again. Read it. Gasped. And Bolted upright.

"Shit." He said to the paper.

"Shit." He repeated to Spy who had just entered through the door.

"They mirror us! The robots look like us!" He said to the Frenchman, waving the wrinkled paper in the airs. He stopped and shrunk when he met his icy eyes. "Like a mirror." He added silently.

To his relief, Spy chuckled and closed the door behind him. His appearance now was a huge improvement from before, although the bags remained, but at least the beard was gone.

"I know. That much I could gather on my own. If you can explain the one in yellow for me, now that would be extraordinary." He grinned, running his fingers through his graying light brown locks.

"I –I... okay." Scout choked on his words. Spy wasn't wearing his mask and was –Scout gulped loudly –still wet. "I'll try." He picked up the paper, but his eyes remained glued to the Frenchman's bare face. It had been a while he hadn't received such a treat and he was sure as hell not going o waste it by staring at a sheet of paper.

Spy walked over to him, sitting down onto the bed next to him. Close, but not close enough for Scout's heartbeat to go mad and give him a seizure. He turned and snorted playfully at the clothes he had set out for him, giving Scout a perfect view of one shoulder blade and the dripping nape of his neck.

"You know how I know you're genuine, lapin?" He asked, smiling at him over his shoulder.

"Ah –I... No. How?" Scout blinked at him. God, he was handsome. "Wait, genuine –"

"You marvel at my face."

"Or maybe you're just flattering yourself." Scout rolled his eyes, blushed furiously and went back to awkwardly staring at the paper.

_Red Cross?_

"I don't have to with you around."

_RED Medic has a red cross, but..._

"You make it quite obvious."

_Question Medic how... What else is red? Blood?_

"Sometimes I just want to take my mask off to see your reaction, you know?"

_What does the RED Medic have to do with robots. He's one of the oldest workers._

"Petit, I know you are listening. Stop pretending you are not."

But he truly wasn't. Scout's brain was on overdrive because it was making a link, a link he wasn't even sure of yet, but there was something there, in those papers, that he was starting to see.

_The new are sane? The new... the Nurses..._

"These are coded messages." Scout said out loud, mesmerized.

"Yes, I am well aware." Spy said, condescendingly, buttoning his shirt up.

"But they're like... a conversation between people. They're talking about us!"

Even if the Spy might have already come to that conclusion, Scout had clearly peaked his interest. His last realisation was not met with a rude comment, but instead, with the Spy's full attention.

"Yes..." He agreed, somewhat surprised.

"And... and the new. The Nurses are new, right?!"

"Yes."

"I... I think..." He was becoming agitated. He felt hot in this enclosed space. He needed to go for a run, but the Spy was still waiting for an answer. He shot up to his feet and began pacing. His brain was doing a year's worth of thinking.

"Spy..."

"Yes , Cher. What is it?" He was getting anxious too.

"The Red Cross... could it be code?"

"Very possible." He nodded.

Scout blinked at him for a second, his train of thought on the verge of either crashing and burning or actually getting to its destination. Either way, Scout was beginning to lose track of it; he felt disoriented in the cramped room.

"I –I don't... Don't get mad."

"Tell. Me." The Spy growled, losing patience. "At this point, I'll consider even your deduct-"

"The Red Cross is code for the RED Nurse. He knows about the bots. They appeared the same time he did, right? Maybe he controls them, maybe he knows stuff about 'em. He's spoken with our Nurse, but why are they sane? Either way, we should be asking the guy questions." The Scout spoke at lightning speed, his arms waving around frantically.

At the end of Scout's short rant, Spy scrambled his disbelieving expression back to normal. He stood, shirt hanging over his underwear and tie hanging around his neck and measured himself before Scout. He considered him for a moment before settling his eyes onto his cap. With a flick of his fingers, he sent the hat falling to the floor behind Scout. If he weren't the Spy, he'd be sporting an aching gut after having done that, but lucky for him, Scout could barely move with him holding his chin in his hands. He gasped when the Spy leaned in and almost gave into his betraying knees when he kissed him. The heat of the embrace was so much stronger than the previous one, seeing as Spy was actually active this time. His lips moved against his as if it were the hundredth time they were doing so, gliding over the sensitive skin, tugging and pulling and releasing. His tongue ran over his bottom lip, swelling it, before trapping it between his teeth. Spy stopped. Scout fluttered his eyes open only to see that the Spy's were boring deep into him already. He gasped, as the Spy's teeth stretched his lower lip and let go in a soft pop.

"Thank you." Spy breathed, the hot air running over the wetness of his plumped lower lips, sending shivers all throughout Scout's body.

"I..." He choked and tried to cover it by clearing his throat. "I um... I hate him enough to relate to whoever wrote this. I'd question him too if I could." His whispered back, only because speaking out loud would be disrespectful to the perfect moment.

"I see." Spy groaned, the smile on his face no longer mischievous, but plainly happy. He stared down Scout's chest, pulling him closer by the waist. "It's a bit obvious, now that you pointed it out to me."

Scout snorted and looked away.

"I guess I was tired. There is such a thing as overanalysing." He explained, his hand now running up and down Scout's side. "Why won't you look at me?"

"I dunno, man! Why're you touchin' me like that!?"

"Ah." The Spy smiled and took a step back. "I understand that I am making you nervous. I apologize."

Scout regretted his words the second the Spy retreated, missing the feeling of his bare hands already. The Frenchman turned his back to him and continued to button his shirt and tie his tie. Scout only wished he would face him, so he could remember his face better when he would be reliving this short lived moment that night.

"Spy." He found himself calling his name so he could turn around, but realised, in dismay, that he had nothing else to say when he did get the eyeful of the mask-less profile he was yearning for.

"What is it?" He asked.

He thought of giving him a proper explanation of his earlier outburst, but the words died out at the edge of his tongue, as usual.

"It's your..."

"Tell me." The Spy insisted, letting go of his loose tie to cross his arms over his chest as he turned to fully face the Scout, currently dying of anxiety.

"Please." He added.

"It's your face!" The Scout said, mostly to his shoes than anyone else. "I... I can't deal with it! It's not like you're hot, it's just... GAWD! Everyone is just so fucking plain and you're just..." He heaved a huge breath and violently ran his fingers through his hair. "...not."

With his head buried his him palms, he felt the Spy's strong arms wrap around him.

"Thank you." He spoke against his hair.

"I hate it when you wear the fucking thing." He complained in response, nuzzled against the man's chest.

"I have no choice."

"I guess..."

"Scout..."

Spy held his chin and lifted his face so that their eyes would meet for a short while before he planted a chaste kiss on his unexpecting lips.

"You wouldn't happen to know how to read binary code?"

/

Book in one hand, while the other unconsciously ran through soft newly cut strands, Sniper was in bliss, having found the most serene company he could ever ask for. While he lay in bed reading, she sat on the floor with only the top of her head poking over the edge of his bed. It was hard to resist petting her new haircut, as much as it irritated her to be touched like one would touch a beloved pet.

"Sorry, sorry. I'll stop." Sniper apologized before she expressed her displeasure with yet another grunt. He had lost himself again, his fingers gliding over to her head without his consent. "I know you hate it."

"I don't hate it." She sighed. "It just numbs me out. If I fall asleep, I'll fuck up my sleeping schedule."

"I see... well, let's just blame Pyro then, yeah? For having done such a fantastic job on yer mop." He chuckled, sitting up on an elbow to get a better glimpse of her face.

She met him halfway, leaning her head back, only to get an upside down view of his amusement.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothin'. Just like how it looks." He shrugged, opened his mouth to say something, reconsidered, shut his mouth and turned away, all to Nurse's annoyance.

"Alright, what is it?" She demanded.

"_I _like it." He said, scratching the back of his head nervously. "You may or may not be disappointing a couple o' Scouts."

"Oh God." She rolled her eyes and was about to get back to her book when Sniper set a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"Don't get mad, alright? Hear me out." He shifted his position so that his legs were dangling off the edge of the bed, enabling her to settle her head on his knee. "Not everyone is going to see the efficiency of you chopping your hair off. I, for one, get it. It's annoying, it's in your face when you fight. It's only logical for you to want it off, right?"

"The rest of the team liked it. Or at least, "saw its efficiency" like you did." She argued, now very consciously tugging at her own strands.

"Yeah, well... not everyone's mad in love with you, kid." He poked her head. "Boy seems to me like the type to believe in girls having long hair and boys having short."

"That may be, but I'm still the type that doesn't give shit."

"Hmmm, I suppose that is the best type." He said and went back to his reading to let her do the same.

By the time Nurse got back to her quarters, she didn't feel like doing anything. Sniper's petting had gotten her into a lazy mood, where all she wanted to do was drape herself over soft things and just lay there for hours. Only that didn't happen. The specific soft place across which she would have preferred to drape herself, also known as her bed, was occupied by a thin sheet of paper covered in neat line of a lovely cursive handwriting. If only its owner was just as lovely...

_Dearest Nurse,_

_I believe a nice chat between us has been long overdue. Do call; I miss your voice and I'm afraid we still have matters to settle._

_P.S. Simply adore the new hairdo._

As inoffensive as the letter was, Nurse felt nauseous after having read the short lines. First off, because she could hear his obnoxious voice in her head as she read, secondly, because that rat had somehow found a way to see her during the say, without her knowing and thirdly, because he had somehow snuck into her bedroom! The latter theory pushed her to search her room before changing into more comfortable clothing. The only thing she found, or more like found she had lost, was that one of her pillowcases and mysteriously gone missing.

She crumpled the paper, hid it in one of her drawers and prepared herself for the night's French classes with Scout.

/

It was plain old misfortune that caused them to cross paths in the narrow hallway. His eyes searched his, but the RED Scout put all his efforts in looking away. He wasn't sure he'd be able to restrain himself if he were to glance up and happen to see his ever so aggravating smirk or the arrogant twinkle in his eyes.

However, what he had assumed was a coincidence, slowly started to seem like a planned "attack" when a large piece of fabric was tossed into his face when they bumped shoulders. The RED Nurse didn't say a word and kept on walking on, even when Scout didn't.

He recognized the pillowcase, but only after painfully recognizing the smell.


	20. Chapter 20

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 20- Apprehensions

By, the Unlucky-Charm

Breakfast was eerily silent. Not the silence that reigned over them on hung over mornings. Not the awkward silence nobody dared break after two teammates had a row. The silence in the cafeteria was heavy and stressful, a bone crushing weight on everyone's shoulders. No spoon dared clink against plate an no cup was bold enough to hit the table in any other way but gently. That morning, noise was a sin and the members of BLU were saints. Uneasy and filled with irrational doubt, hardly any had enough appetite to touch their food. Something was wrong and they would share their fears, if only they could track their origins. Something was wrong, but what? When in war, one could not waste time with assumptions or gut feelings; the more tangible, the better. And so, no one spoke.

Engineer, smart enough to label the feeling as a premonition rather than just "weird", leaned to the side to nudge Soldier who always sat next to him during breakfast. Engineer's disturbance of the frozen atmosphere sent a ripple through the air, turning heads throughout the cafeteria.

"Solly. Something's gonna happen." He whispered, catching the attention of his other teammates sitting at nearby tables.

Soldier gave him a warning look, as if Engineer had just broken an unspeakable look.

The Texan leaned in closer, uncomfortably close even. If Soldier hadn't been speechless and disbelieving at the bluntness with which Engineer had approached the situation, he would have sent the most homophobic shove in Engineer's way.

"Something's up." He whispered, his mouth so close to his ear that his stubbly chin scratched against Soldier's shoulder.

"I don't know what you're talking about, private." He said solemnly before turning around.

It was in the calmness in his voice and in the replacement of 'Engie' with 'private' that lay Soldier's lie. He knew exactly what Engineer was talking about. Besides, if he didn't, he would insist on finding out, rather loudly too.

Engineer was not a violent man by nature, but he knew his friend well. If Soldier didn't want to listen, it was the only way to capture his attention. His fist took hold of the front of his uniform, twisting him around and forcing him to face him.

"Yes. Yes you do." He hissed through clenched teeth.

Soldier's frustrated gaze watched him from underneath his helmet. He was considering him, which was a good sign when the other option was utter indifference. Engineer pleaded with him without a word, trying to get the silent message across to him so he wouldn't have to risk the rest of the team hearing.

It was Soldier's turn to lean in, although reluctantly, and whisper.

"What do you know." He pronounced each word like they were individual sentences.

"Nothin'" Engineer shrugged, but made sure Soldier caught the wink. Right eye meant his quarters, which was rare, but left eye set the meeting place in his workshop.

The attempt at being discreet failed when they both got up at the same time to leave, stared awkwardly at each other, sat back down in unison and then looked away. Engineer made a mental note to create a signal for timing too. Maybe a flick of fingers to designate the number of minutes that would make for a proper gap, or a classic round of rock paper scissors to decide who would leave first. They ended up just nodding to each other and walking out together, seeing as there was no more suspicion left to raise. In the hallway, Engineer began to speak to a mute Soldier, protesting the transfer of information with silence; the walls could be rigged, according to him, you never know who could be listening.

Soldier started barking the second the workshop door was shut.

"Next time you decided to make a scene, think twice about –"

"Solly, what scene? No one was saying a word and hell, you could cut the tension with a knife."

"Yeah! What the hell was that about?!" He said, as if the worrying atmosphere was the Texan's fault

"I don't know, but something's up." He went to his desk and started pushing through stacks of paper to find the right one. He could find files easy, but when searching for a single sheet, the task was near impossible for anyone other than Engineer.

"How do you know?"

"I don't. I mean, I'm not sure. If it weren't for the mood in the caf, I wouldn't be bothering you about this." He said, pulling out a sheet of light blue stationary paper with a loud sigh.

"Spy gave this to me." He continued, handing the paper to Soldier, who tore it from his grasp and pretended to read it.

"What the hell does the Frenchie even want?"

"It's not what he wants, Sol, it's the questions he's asking. He says he needs to know to decipher some pieces of Intel, but..." Engineer was hesitant about continuing, scared he'd lose his friend in all the mechanical talk.

"But what?"

"They're weird questions. A whole lot about remote control, some stuff about battery power, it's like he's going to make toys for kids."

"What's the range of a high tech remote controlled device?" Soldier read out loud.

"I don't even know how to answer them properly. He has to specify what he device in question. I mean, anybody can just say something is high tech and still be correct." Engineer said, pushing back his hard hat to scratch the top of his head.

"Example?" Soldier said, flipping the page over to see if its back was also filled with words he wouldn't bother reading.

"The advanced technology the government has access too? Well, they can control missiles, for example, from half the planet away." Engineer explained. "On the other hand, you have high tech children's toys that can be controlled from only half a mile away, which still an impressive distance for a plastic car running on double A batteries."

"So what are you going to tell him?" Soldier asked, tossing the paper aside.

"Nothin'. I'm gonna ask him what the hell he wants this stuff for. Or at least show me the part of the Intel he needs help with."

Engineer picked the paper up and shook his head, like it contained some very bad news.

"I don't get it, Sol. Look at this one. 'Where would be the nearest and best place to recharge an electric vehicle?' What the hell does he need to know that for?!"

"Maybe one of our enemies has an electric car and he's trying to find a place to ambush him." Soldier shrugged and let his helmet fall back over his eyes.

Engineer blinked at his teammate through his goggles because for an extremist nut job, his theory was not an insane one.

"Maybe." He said genuinely, for once, instead of it being a polite way of dismissing his ideas.

"I say ask him after battle anyway!" Soldier regained character and began shouting once again. "Spy doesn't tell me shit, maybe he'll talk to you!"

"I don't know..." Engineer said, getting real tired of using those words he hardly ever needed to utter. He usually knew. He didn't like not knowing. "He seemed pretty... suspicious. Like, kept snapping his head left and right, like someone would be listening in."

"Hmm... that so...?" Soldier expression darkened, as he rubbed at his stubbly chin. "I still say you need to go and find out. If the Spy is up to something sneaky, we need to know!"

"But Sol –"

"SO I CAN WRING HIS NECK IF HE IS, THAT'S WHY, DAMN IT!" He bellowed, bolting up onto his feet and slamming his hands against the desk. "I'm tired of his secrets and his damn 'necessary distraction' excuse!"

For the record, Engineer wasn't even going to ask why, but Soldier had entered crazy mode once more and all chances for civilized conversation were thrown out the window in consequence. He didn't say another word and left his workshop in search for either Spy or some peace, secretly hoping that the latter would appear before the first. He needed to clear his head for long enough to be able to convince himself of a reasonable explanation for Spy's question. Reasonable _and_ harmless conclusions would be best to come to, but when he wasn't too busy lying to himself, Engineer was fully aware of all the obscure occurrences that happened within the base. He didn't know what they were or whom they included, except that Pyro wasn't the only mystery around.

/

**BLU Nurse**

Behind the shed on BLU territory was the best place Nurse could think of to drag her bleeding Demoman. The hut looked like someone had super-glued its wooden planks together and would collapse at any given moment. Nurse couldn't help but keep one eye on the shabby construction while she worked on her teammate.

The gash was a deep one and it ran right across his thigh. Judging by the cut, she guessed the work of a Sniper wielding a kukri, unless the opposing Demoman had decided on going Persuader crazy for the day. Either way, the wound was not fatal and definitely not worth wasting Medi gun juice on. Nurse sewed it up quickly enough and was about to snip the excess thread with her teeth when the explosion went off.

They were both propelled backwards, her back bouncing and scraping against the ground like a stone skipping on water. The sound was deafening, even more so when impact had been so close. The burning, but still standing, mess of a shack that had been their temporary shelter form the battle told her rocket launcher, not regular bombs. The RED Soldier would be blowing them both into oblivion any second now.

She braced herself when she heard the final shot being fired, but was surprised when the collision fell short. The explosion blasted in front of her, painting the back of her eyelids red. When she opened her eyes, she found herself trying to keep her breakfast down as parts of her Scottish patient rained down around her. While she had experienced gore beforehand –she didn't have much of a choice in her profession- she still hadn't quite gotten used to seeing it on daily basis and most certainly did not appreciate it landing on her. Finding a piece of earlobe stuck in your hair later in the showers was all kinds of unpleasant that Nurse did not need.

She coughed out the smoke from her lungs and spat it to the ground. She needed to get up and get the hell out of there, to her team or at least escape from the Soldier. Nurse stumbled with her own aching body and was about to let herself fall back to the ground when through the shambles and flying dust, appeared a hand that she immediately took hold of by reflex. By the time she noticed the red sleeve, she was already gasping on her own two feet.

"Watch yerself." The RED Soldier growled as if it physically pained him to say it and left in a jog, off to destroy the rest of her team.

It was the last she saw of the righteous American for the day, but she did end up meeting up with the BLU Demo once more, in safer situations. Inside their base, in the corner of one of the more narrow and secluded hallways, Nurse crouched over the Scot with a pair of surgical tweezers.

"Is it bad?" He asked.

"Not at all." She reassured him. "I can see it, just gotta..."

"Ow!"

"There we are." She smiled, dropping the bullet to the floor with a clink.

"Thanks lass." He grinned and pet the top of her head. "Hope that Soldier didn't cause ya' too much trouble."

"He let me get away." She shrugged and realised how good it felt to be actually telling the truth for once. Besides, she saw no point in lying, at least not about this.

"The _Soldier?_ Seriously?"

"Yup. Even helped me get up." She said, actually getting up and helping him to his feet as well.

"You're kidding." He towered over Nurse and had probably humored her when she tried to pull him up. "Why?"

"That's what I'd like to know." She muttered, thinking of a few other REDs.

/

**RED Nurse**

The insane, he had assured them, he could deal with, but the plain stupid? That was a whole other story. Pacing in the rec room, RED Nurse had to quite literally bite his tongue to keep calm, at least, seeing as 'composed' was an impossibility at this point. While his teammates tried to read his expression –even they could tell something was wrong- Nurse was still having trouble wrapping his head around what he had just witnessed on the battlefield and realised how difficult his task was turning out to be. He could not even begin to fathom what on earth was going through the heads of his so called teammates at the time.

"Gentlemen..." He tried, but that was as far as he could go without bursting into an angry rant, something that was openly frowned upon by the higher ups.

"What's the matter, captain? Bad performance? Any plans go wrong?" The Scout taunted him, clearly satisfied with the way his supposedly foolproof plan backfired. The young man's derisive smirk and the way he arrogantly held himself, high and mighty, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest aggravated Nurse enough to consider abandoning his mission and strangling each and every moron in the room with his own two hands. Then again, Mr. Conagher and himself alone on an active battlefield would be highly unpractical.

"Gentlemen, I don't know what to tell you." He went on, ignoring Scout's snort and Spy's eye rol.

"We did well, yes?" Heavy asked.

"Uh... Not exactly." Nurse hissed, remembering how ridiculous a scene Heavy left when when he shot every single soul on the field to a pulp, leaving a confused Nurse standing alone, all too miraculously, in the middle of all the carnage. "See... when I said be polite, I was not referring to your actions within battle."

He knew the team had not taken it too fondly as a frown settled on each of their faces simultaneously.

"With all due respect Nurse," The Engineer spoke up, putting no effort in hiding the sarcastic undertone of his words, "where the hell else are we supposed to be "polite"? It's not like we take her out dancing on Saturday nights."

A few grunts of agreement ran through the group and Nurse realised that maybe even Engineer would have to be on his imaginary hit list.

"Yes, yes I'm aware, but where's the logic in openly aiding her in the middle of a fight when you had blown up her teammate only moments ago..." He stopped himself there, having become painfully aware of the mistake he had just made.

"HEY! IT'S NOT OUR DAMN FAULT YOU FAILED TO BE CLEAR!" Soldier barked, probably offended by the fact that Nurse had been indirectly referring to him. "I DON'T TAKE ORDERS, SON."

"You helped her up, for God's sake man! Spare her if you feel you must, but not so obviously!"

"Then what the hell is it you want us to do, lad?"

Nurse shut his eyes against the headache that was stirring in his cranium. The entire team of dimwits was now shouting complaints at him, but the only voice that rang loud and clear in his ears was the obnoxious laughter of the Scout in the background. He could not see him, but he guessed he was doubled over himself, maybe even holding onto his ribs. The bastard... he had no idea what he was doing. He had no idea who he was dealing with, who he was up against. They all thought him a mere Nurse, but they'll be regretting this when their fates rest in his capable hands. Especially him. However, he knew he had to hold back, only silent blows for now.

He opened his tired eyes to stare each of them down. This was the opportunity he was waiting for in this entire mess. The chance to turn the tables and regain their trust... by stealing it from someone else, of course.

"Well, Scout and Sniper seemed to have the right idea..." He shrugged, folding his arms over his chest. He spared a glance in the Bushman's direction and felt _some_ guilt at his pleading gaze, but Scout's glare was all too satisfying for him to stop there. He would regret hurting the Sniper, but then again, he really wouldn't. "How come they got the idea and the rest of you lot didn't, hm?"

And the nominees for best ice cold stares directed at the RED Nurse were Sniper and Scout for their flying daggers and telekinetic efforts to get him to spontaneously combust. Nurse could not quite tell which was sending him which, though.

"What the hell did you two goody students do?" Soldier growled, sensing that some fraternizing had taken place behind his back. He turned his attention, as well as the rest of the team's onto the two helpless REDs.

And so it began. Questions, accusations, shouts, insults and explanations from the two victims that went unheard, flew across the room. Well then, he thought, time for my exit.

"Hate to leave you in the spotlight, men, but I gotta run." He shouted over all the ruckus and winked before disappearing through the door.

"Divide..." He yawned. "And conquer."

/

The phone rang exactly twenty two minutes after he had left his systematic mess to the Sniper and the Scout. Hearing her voice, even through all the static , was like hearing the melody of a harp after a day of only drum beats. He let her know that, because a gentlemen should always take every given opportunity to compliment a lady. He explained that to her as well.

"That's the dumbest thing I have ever heard, especially coming from a creep like you." She snapped. "I know you were behind all of this. Whatever _this_ is. Tell me prince charming, why the hell did your drunken Demoman APOLOGIZE to me after having almost cut my arm in half today?!"

He loudly let out the breath he was holding. "You're angry."

"Damn right! Now listen here, I don't know what it is you're playing at, but you leave me alone, okay? I fight on that battlefield like everybody else, I DIE like everybody else, got it?" She spat.

"Alright, I will admit that what happened today was partially my doing, although it did get way out of hand, see, you weren't exactly supposed to notice..."

"I did."

"Yes, yes, I understand, but that's their fault." He pinched at the bridge of his nose; he could feel that headache waking up again. "Cut me some slack, will you? I had a long day."

Silence. Great, he was going to get it now.

"_Cut you some slack? _You want _me_ to cut _you_ some slack?! Don't you think I'm holding back enough with the questions. Oh you know, about what the fuck you were doing in my room, why you were spying on me, where the hell my _pillowcase_ is! Don't even get me started on the robot thing, since apparently, you're related to that too now!"

"Oh." He was pleasantly surprised. He didn't think the Intel would get to her that fast. The Spies usually didn't share the information. "So you figured it out. I was hoping you would."

"Not me. Scout. He deciphered the Intel with Spy. It said that we should be questioning you." He could practically hear the sneer she wore through the phone, but decided against advising her not to disfigure such a pretty face with such a horrid expression. He reckoned it would make his situation worse.

"Not quite, my dear." He cleared his throat. "_I_ sent you the Intel and let me tell you, it was not meant to be seen by either members of either team."

"They were like short messages. Commands."

"Reports, I believe. They are suspicious of me and are aware that we have communicated."

"Who is? What the hell do they care?" She sounded panicked.

"Two completely different parties outside of RED and BLU." He explained. "And I don't know why they care or what exactly they're up to, but one thing I am certain of about one of the sides."

"They're not human." She finished his sentence and quite correctly too.

"You are truly brilliant, you know that? Wasted as a Nurse!"

"Shut up." She snapped, but the waver in her voice told him their relationship still held the trust he needed.

"Sorry, I am still getting used to a lady that does not like compliments." He sighed. "But tell me, how did you figure it out?"

"Doesn't take a genius." She chuckled humorlessly. "Get attacked by a robot and then get sent pages of binary code as Intel? I can make the link, thank you very much."

"Well, you're an intelligent girl..."

"Yes, we established that. Can I go now?"

He sighed with great exaggeration. "As you wish, love. Your pillowcase should be arriving shortly."

"Wai-"

He hung up, leaving her hanging, like he always tended to do. A part of him knew that it was what kept her interested.

/

**BLU Engineer**

He felt ridiculous, using his wrench to hold him to the wall. He held it at his neck, pressing down as hard as he could without completely cutting of his breathing. It was no menacing blade to threaten him with a trickle of blood down his neck, so choking him was the next best option, next to knocking him out completely.

"You better have a damn good reason to be here, boy." He growled.

Right of the bat, Engineer could tell there was something wrong with the young Bostonian. No RED, not even the most arrogant of Scouts, would ever dare step foot into an enemy base after hours and even if the unique occasion were to rise, they would at least try to be discreet about it instead of strutting through the halls like they owned the place. The kid wasn't even trying, which sparked some worry in the Engineer. This could just be a distraction, a small part of a greater plan. He didn't look scared either, in fact, he looked quite the opposite; practically asking Engineer to kill him. If it weren't for the mystery object in his hands, he would have.

"I don't." He shrugged, the ends of the wrench brushing against the ends of his collarbones.

"Well then how about you tell me what the hell you're holding in your hand." Engineer spat, volatile saliva hitting Scout straight in the face. He didn't even flinch. "I'm warning you, if I don't like your answer, you're a goner, son."

"It's a delivery." He said, the words flowing out of his mouth with a calmness that was so outside character that Engineer had half a mind to send him straight to Medic, not for torture purposes, for once, but for a brain scan.

"If that thing's a bomb..."

"It ain't." He said and flung it straight onto Engineer's head. The Texan's face morphed into several different reactions in the matter of two seconds, rather impressively too. Surprise, rage and finally confusion, as to why on earth was the RED Scout carrying around a pillowcase and who it was meant for. Engineer clutched the linen in his fist, sharing his glances between both it and its sender; was there something he was missing? The Scout's silence and blank face made him even angrier. He didn't like not understanding things. With eleven PHDs, neither would you.

"Is this some kind of joke?" He asked, not rhetorically, but at this point, genuinely.

"You tell me." He snorted, much like the Spy, but him being a Scout made it so much more infuriating.

Engineer ended up just dropping the pillowcase to the floor and retightening the pressure on Scout's throat using both hands.

"Now listen here boy, you're lucky enough I didn't kill ya' the second I set eyes on ya' and I don't care how suicidal you're feeling, I know you wouldn't like me very much if I took you to Medic. He'll make sure you live a long and not so prosperous life, if you know what I mean."

Engineer was more than pleased of the drastic change in attitude on the young man's part at the mention of the doctor. In fact, Engineer was slightly reassured as well, to know the kid hadn't completely lost his mind. Only a little.

"Lemme go." He squirmed, his voice higher than it was before. His obnoxious self was slowly resurfacing, the obnoxious self Engineer already knew how to deal with... somewhat.

"Tell me what it is you want, exactly and depending on your answer, I'll think about it." He said, bittersweet, tilting his head to the side and adding pressure to the wrench for emphasis.

"That's not very convincing."

"Medic."

"Right, right, okay." He held his arms up defensively. "It's for Nurse."

Engineer puffed out a sarcastic chuckle. "Son, when courting a lady..." His smile fell as he realised what a pillowcase might mean and this time, the pressure was enough to choke him.

"Were you seriously going to kidnap her? Really?! You think a pillowcase was going to hurt her? You know she's armed right?"

Despite having asked the questions, Engineer didn't bother loosening his hold on him to allow him to answer. Instead, he let Scout frantically nod and shake his head left and right, up and down –depending on the question – while he choked out incomprehensible pleas.

"What's that? Didn't quite catch it."

"Akh! Akkkhh!" Scout pushed hard at the wrench, but his arms were no match for the Engineer's.

"That's what you get for being the runner." He laughed and then removed his wrench completely, only to watch the boy fall to his knees, coughing. He held onto his throat, hacking desperately for air.

"I... I wasn't gonna..." He wanted to speak, but his lungs disagreed. Every word came out breathless, no matter how much air he took in.

"Wasn't gonna kidnap her?"

He nodded.

"Then what the hell's the pillow cover for?" He asked, still suspicious.

"It's hers..." He whispered and then went into another coughing fit.

"Her what?"

"Akh! Hers!"

"Her _what?"_

His coughs became more violent and then came to a dead stop. Still on his hands and knees, Scout looked up at the Texan with a furious glare.

"It's _her_ fucking pillowcase!" He spat, voice still hoarse.

Engineer sneaked a curious glance towards the heap of fabric he had tossed aside and did, in fact, recognize it as Nurse's. He hadn't been in her room more than once, but he believed that yes, the pattern did match her sheets.

"I'm just returning it." He added, now from a sitting position.

"Why did you even have it in the first place?"

"I didn't." He stared up and flashed him a lazy grin, pink bubblegum between his teeth.

"Kid, I swear to God –"

"_I _ didn't. _Somebody else_ did. I'm bringing it back for that person who forced the task upon me." He spoke loudly over the Engineer, rolling his eyes as if the explanation had been obvious from the start.

"Does this person have a name?"

"Come with me and you'll find out." The Scout smirked maliciously. He gave Engineer the feeling that he did not particularly like this mystery person. Engineer made the link, that maybe it was because this person had somehow ended up with his crush's pillowcase.

"Come with you? Boy, what makes you think I'm letting you go there at all?" Engineer chuckled humorlessly.

"What?"

"I think I'm being kind enough, sparing your worthless life an' all. I'm not letting you wander off deeper in the base. Hell, in my head, this still might be some kind of ploy. So no." He said, picking up the pillowcase from the ground and stuffing half of it into his front pocket.

The RED simply snarled at him before getting to his feet.

"Fine." He muttered through clenched teeth.

"You better scram before anyone else catches you."

He didn't say anything else, but just stood there, arms crossed over his chest.

"What. Delivery have a message too?"

"Yeah, tell her she's a slut."

Engineer blinked, very much puzzled. "Um... okay."

Once the RED Scout was out of sight, a confused BLU Engineer made his way to his Nurse's quarters, where he found her mopping the floor of her infirmary with so little enthusiasm that she looked like she was on the verge of falling asleep in the middle of the task.

"Ya' shouldn't leave your door open like this." He said as he knocked.

"Oh. Hey." She looked up, surprised, until her features melted into a tired smile. Nurse pushed the stray hairs out of her face, tucking some of them behind her ears while the others continued to lay loosely on the top of her head. "What's up?"

"Nothin'. Can I come in?"

"Sure." She looked down and frowned. "Is that my pillowcase?"

"Yup." He nodded, awkwardly pulling out the fabric from his pocket. It was wrinkled; he looked to see if she was upset about it, but found that she was still frowning. "RED Scout brought it over."

"RED Scout... ?" Her frown deepened and then disappeared under the palm she slapped over her face in realisation. "Aw, god damn it!"

"Says you're a slut."

"UGH." She grunted, dropping the mop to the floor and falling back into one of the more comfortable chairs. She leaned her head back and shut her eyes as her hands massaged her temples.

"Guess he found out, huh."

"No. He just thinks he did... the idiot."

"Oh."

There was silence during which Engineer had a thorough debate with himself about what to do next. In the end, his curiosity got the best of him, as it always did.

"Mind explainin' what the hell is going on?"

A disgruntled Nurse raised her head and stared daggers right at him. Although, Engineer was pretty sure the daggers weren't aimed at him specifically. Nurse seemed smart enough not to kill the messenger. Well... in this case, the messenger's messenger.

"You wanna know what's going on? Really? Well, basically, some RED stole my pillowcase and I didn't think anything of it until now because, apparently, he used it to freak the shit out of their Scout, who now thinks I SLEPT with that person, when I didn't!" She snapped, her face reddened from both anger and embarrassment.

"Okay... and this mystery person both you and Scout mentioned is...?"

She seemed to consider his question for a second and Engineer was pretty sure she was formulating her answer, trimming off pieces of it, so whatever she wanted to keep from him stayed hidden.

"I don't know, but my guess is the RED Spy or the RED Nurse." She blew air onto her forehead, pushing away the strands again. "Both are pretty slimy."

"Yeah, I guess so..."

"Can I ask a question now?"

"Sure?"

"Do your companies offer therapy?"

"I um... I don't think so." Engineer wasn't sure if it was meant to be a genuine question or just a spiteful one. If it were the latter, he felt awful foolish answering.

"What a shame." She huffed and rolled her eyes.

He understood that she had just taken a shot at them and that she was implying that they were all out their respective minds, but he also understood that she was upset and would later on regret saying such things, no matter how much of a truth they were. He didn't say anything else. He walked up to her and dropped the pillowcase into her lap. When Soldier was upset about losing a battle, when he was disappointed not only in the team, but in himself as well, Engineer would pat his back and promise him a better battle tomorrow. He tried the same with her (cutting out the part about battles), but she didn't seem to even notice his touch. Nurse kept her eyes shut, interested in nothing else but the back of her eyelids. He wasn't sure if she was deep in thought or had actually fallen asleep, but either way, she looked like she had just been abruptly roused from a nice nap when the Spy burst in, looking like he'd been through a meat grinder, bleeding through every single layer of his three piece suit. He held onto the doorframe with both hands, giving him an awkward stance. His hands were dripping blood, making the wooden surface of the frame slippery; his grip was failing, his knees were giving in and Spy could barely keep himself up. He held himself like a beginner at an ice rink, falling all over himself.

"What the hell?" Nurse and Engineer shouted in unison.

"Oh good. I thought I heard your voice." Spy spoke to the Engineer. "I need your help."

"I think you need Nurse or even Medic before anything, partner." He paused and stared him down. "If it's for another dispenser, I'm afraid..."

"Non." Spy cut in urgently. "I need you to look at something for me."

"You're a mess!" He shouted.

Spy frowned, now irritated with Engineer's concern. He seemed to be in quite a rush and did not appreciate the Texan stalling, even if it was for his well being. Then again, a single look down at himself explained his reluctance.

"Fine! Fine!" He waved his hand about, dismissing the Engineer's worries. "Nurse will look after me, while you look after..."

Spy's gaze floated over to Nurse and the two shared some very unsettling looks. He had never seen the Nurse so scared, even during her first battle. As for Spy, he had never seen him scared. Period. Engineer's glances flew from Nurse to Spy, back and forth. Whatever had happened that left Spy beaten to a pulp, the two teammates were clearly very aware of its gravity and danger. They both knew to be terrified and Engineer found himself wondering if he should be too.

**A/U: This story is nearing its end. There are only a few more chapters to go. Reviews will bring inspiration to write. Thanks guys!**


	21. Chapter 21

Team Fortress 2

French Class Behind Tinted Windows

Chapter 21- Footsteps

By, the Unlucky-Charm

By the time he had finished, his hands were shaking from the strain and the room, earlier buzzing with movement, had gone still. His neck creaked when he twisted it over his shoulder, only far enough to find Sniper, who was called to guard the door, sleeping in his chair with a comparatively miniscule Scout curled up at his feet, head tucked snuggly between his knees. Awkwardly enough, he realized such a situation was creeping up on him as well when the Spy standing next to him began leaning as he dozed off in the early hours of the morning. Their Nurse had left a couple of hours ago with determination set on her face and letting herself be fueled by her anger. The Texan had never seen a woman dress wounds so gently and yet, with so much fury.

"Spy." He whispered, rousing the man from the sleep that had only just begun weighing down on his eyelids.

"Quoi!?" He jumped. "Hm? What is it? Figure it out?"

"Not exactly." Engineer sighed, wiping his hand on the dirty rag he carried around. "Still having trouble wrapping my head around your story. I mean, you knew about this and didn't tell the team?"

"We talked about this..." Spy groaned, stretching as he stood up.

"I know, it's just that... well, they have the right to know."

"But you must understand why we cannot..."

"Yeah, I know, I know. RED Nurse. That kid is trouble." He said, sneaking a glance towards the door. "Someone should keep an eye out for her, though. Not the only RED after her for some reason."

"She'll be fine." Spy yawned, staring in the same direction.

"You okay? Must've been hard, taking this thing down on your own." Engineer said, jerking his head towards the dismantled mess of his robotic self laying on his worktable. Opening that thing up, figuring out the mechanics and functions and controls; he felt like he was operating on himself. It was an experience that required some getting used to. It's a eerie feeling. Recognizing yourself in something so horrible.

"She did a fine job with the sutures, I'm sure. Still a bit sore, but very, very worried." Spy spoke gravely, shaking his head at the android. "The first one we encountered was in town, although, I wasn't there. This one... he was skirting the perimeters of the bases. This one was patrolling alone until his Scout joined us. I barely escaped the titanium brat."

"But why? What the hell do they want?"

"I don't know, but we need to be ready."

"Right, like the four of us are going to do any good against a bunch of rampaging robots who seem to want us dead more than anything else."

"We can handle it." Spy lied to himself as much as to the Engineer. "We just need more information, more knowledge. It will give us the upper hand."

"Maybe we should have Nurse call the RED one again. He seemed to know a thing a two, the smug bastard."

"Yes, precisely. 'Smug bastard'. Nurse is not very keen on talking to him." Spy explained.

"Yeah, I can imagine. He stole her pillowcase."

"What?"

"Don't ask."

Spy let it go immediately and waltzed over to the metal Engineer. He leaned over the contraption with his hands behind his back like he was contemplating a piece of art. He shuddered at the memory of their battle and wondered how many there were of them. Part of him didn't want to know. At this point, he could see it in her, they had the same idea, he was almost positive: fleeing might end up being their only option and both he and Nurse were painfully aware of how difficult it's going to be to pull a Soldier away from the battle, if it becomes the case.

"Sniper." Spy said loud enough, his eyes not leaving the android.

"Hnnnnnnnnnnn." Sniper let out a long, plaintive grunt and stirred in his seat.

"You're going to ruin your back even more if you sleep like that." Spy said, but his tone implied orders. "Go to bed and take Scout with you."

Sniper hunched over himself, gently shaking the Scout's shoulder. He flailed limply with the movement and his head still hung, asleep, when the Sniper stopped.

"Look mate, can't you just carry him to his room later?" He said, stifling a yawn. "He won't budge."

"He is not my responsibility." Spy spat at the sly implication being made in front of a more ignorant teammate. His eyes glided down to the Scout. "Lapin." He said loudly, making the kid fly two feet off the ground.

"What?!"

"Go to bed." He replied.

"Is Nurse back?"

"Nope." Sniper was the one who answered him, since the Spy had gone back to listening to Engineer's diagnostic.

"Where'd she go?" He asked.

"Hopefully to bed." Sniper yawned in the middle of a stretch. After four cracks, two of which had come from his back, Sniper's hands fell loosely into his pant pockets. A confused frown fell gently over his eyes as he frantically pat down his own legs. "Did I have my kukri with me...?"

/

It was not her movements that would wake them; she had not thought herself capable of walking so slowly, her feet falling to the floor as lightly as a feather would. It was not her breathing, because she was still holding the air in her lungs, as much as it had begun to hurt. It was her heartbeat. She could have thought herself wearing a stethoscope it was so loud and clear, pounding in her ears. His room, like hers, would be all the way down the hall. She would also have to go through two doors to get to him, but her lock picks were in her back pocket and her knuckles were turning white from clutching the hilt of the kukri.

After having seen her bloodied teammate and the _thing_ responsible for it laying on the Engineer's worktable, she had made her decision. She was ending this, or at least finding a solution to it. She was tired of playing messenger, even if she technically wasn't supposed to be telling her teammates about the information being relayed to her by the RED Nurse. But in the moment, when she was sewing one of the Spy's many cuts shut, she could do nothing but feel anger towards him, for speaking in riddles and never giving her a proper warning. She hated to say it, but they were lucky it was Spy who was attacked instead of someone who didn't have a clue of what was coming their way. Nurse cringed at the idea of the Soldier trying to explain an Engineer robot attack to the rest of the team.

Nurse reached his quarters, mirrored the Spy's technique and braced herself for any stirring once the soft click had echoed through the hall. Nothing. She squeezed herself through the thin opening; she wouldn't allow any more to avoid unnecessary creaking.

The infirmary was unlit besides the dim glow of a reading lamp, pooling light into a small puddle around the armchair in which she found him, dosed off in shallow slumber.

Lucky her.

She tiptoed her way around him, like a predator circling its prey. He did not budge and remained mouth open, drooling. It was safe to say that his charm wasn't as effective in his sleep. Again, lucky her.

She pocketed the lock picking kit and yielded the kukri as professionally as she could, which, to be honest, wasn't professional at all. Sniper had not felt the need to teach her the techniques that came with the weapon, especially since the rifle was more likely to come in handy, according to him. However, she did not need training for what she was about to do. One hand fisting the hilt, one hand awkwardly holding the pointy end, she approached him.

Once her chest was pressed against the back of the armchair, Nurse made the final and most crucial move. With lightning speed, she shoved the blunt end of the blade into his agape mouth, stretching the ends of lips wide into an eerie smile and rousing him from his sleep. Her own mouth was ready, pressed against the shell of his ear.

"Yell and you will never be able to shut your big mouth ever again." She whispered. "One wrong move and I _will_ kill you. I doubt your higher ups will be too happy when they find you in their respawn."

He shut his eyes and nodded in what she hoped was defeat.

"Now. Walk."

And he did. He walked, hands behind his back like a good student, through the cold dust of the battlefield, first, exiting the glow of the RED base before entering that of the BLU. In between, both nurses were blind to their environment as well as one another. A dangerous task, but one that she knew had to be done. It would pay off later on, when she most needed it.

Surprisingly, he did not even try to make a break for it. He didn't even flinch. The RED Nurse was perfectly compliant throughout most of the journey and decided to make his move, most astonishingly, at the very threshold of the BLU base.

She must have let her guard down for a moment, trying to figure out a way to get through that door without being noticed by certain members, when he bit down on the blade, hard, and tore it out of her grasp. Even in the dim beam of light the base had to offer, she could see blood leaking from the corners of his mouth, creating two scarlet stripes on each side. He must have bitten to hard, or maybe she had pushed in too deep earlier. It didn't really matter because either way, RED was pissed. About his disfigured face or the kidnapping as a whole, she wasn't entirely sure, but all she knew at the moment was that he had the knife and she had to get the hell out of there. Or fight. Yes, she could always fight.

One step forward. Second step forward. Fluid and quick. Twisting her left foot to the side in the sand, she spun her entire body around and landed a solid kick of the right foot straight into his stomach. With the air leaving his lungs in a large gasp, he fell to one knee, grasping his abdomen, as if to keep the remaining air in. Unfortunately, his falter was short lived and in the middle of his bout of breathlessness, he managed to swing the knife to the top of her ankles, only nicking one, but significantly cutting through the other. Nurse stumbled, but was back on her feet fast enough to meet her RED counterpart in the middle of round two.

"I don't want to do this." He gasped.

"Then don't." She said, lunging forward experimentally. "I've been waiting a long time for this."

He backed away. Knife in hand, he cowered. Nurse couldn't help the lopsided grin that made a short appearance on her lips. He was scared of her. If not, for whatever reason, he wasn't allowed to hurt her. Either way, she was horribly pleased with herself, borderline cocky. When it was clear that this guy was nowhere near wanting to hurt her, Nurse experimented once more, taking two rapid steps forward and throwing the hardest punch she could, aiming for his throat. The kukri clattered to the ground as he raised his arms to shield himself from the oncoming blow.

A crack of bone and a grunt on both ends. She ignored her knuckles and swung them around one more time, only to hit nothing but air. Another crack of bone; the RED had backed up into the wall rather hard. He hissed. She was against him instantly. Her knee placed strategically between his legs and her thumbs on his eyelids. He did not move, nor did he touch her on his own accord.

"You incorporate your self-defense classes with the fighting skills of your teammates. Interesting choices." He spoke like they were having tea together.

"I get by."

"Obviously," he smiled. He looked ridiculous grinning with his eyes shut. "You've got me pinned, my dear."

"You let me."

"That's only partially true."

"You can't hurt me, you're not allowed."

"That's where the partiality comes in."

She pulled her fingers away, but raised her knee as a reminder that she was most certainly not letting him go anywhere. His eyes fluttered open and she looked away, just in case he decided to use one of his looks on her, bright and pleading, almost made her trust him entirely.

"Let me go and I'll explain."

"This isn't up for negotiation. NO deals, NO agreements. Nothing is happening under your terms. You're going to explain, whether I let you go or not. Whether you want to or not." She explained to him calmly, placing both her hands gently on his chest.

"Love, I may not be able to hurt you, but I hope you know I could easily get out of this." He chuckled. "I am willing to explain everything, but I need you to cooperate."

"How will I know it's everything. How will I know you're not just giving me bits and pieces like before?"

"You won't." He sighed. "You'll have to trust me."

Her eyes fixed to his chest, she nodded.

"You know they used chloroform on me. Before you joined." She muttered. There was a pause, during which she managed to lift her gaze to meet his. She could almost see compassion, but she was starting to understand that the man before her was a professional. His talents went beyond those of the spies and his intellect possibly surpassed hers. Chances were things she could not risk taking and if she had to handle him like a brainless animal to stay on the safe side, then she would.

"I know. I'm sorry. If I were here, I would never have let them."

She spread her palms on his pecks, fingers brushed over collarbones. With excruciating slowness, Nurse lay her head on his chest.

"It was a stupid move." She said and relaxed against him, shuddered when she felt his hand stroking her hair. "Waste of chemicals."

He snorted. "Sweetheart, you are not a waste of any-"

He choked on his words, literally, and was about to fall to his knees if she hadn't caught him. Two of her fingers still lay tucked into his throat, in the dent of the meeting place of his two collarbones. Block the pharynx, lack of air knocks the attacker out. Warning: use only in life or death situations, very dangerous manoeuvre. May be fatal. She recalled the piece of text from the pamphlet they had distributed before class. The teacher had skipped that lesson. It was too dangerous to properly practice. She went over it at home anyway, examining the roughly drawn human caricatures knocking each other out on the glossy pages.

"They could have easily knocked me out." She explained to the limp body she was struggling to hold up.

"Oh, don't be like that." She whined sarcastically when he didn't answer her. "If you could talk right now you'd say something like 'oh darling, you take my breath away, even in the literal sense!'"

She sat him down against the wall and frowned at him. "I'll be right back. Don't move."

/

**RED**

"This tastes like piss." He grumbled, but took a swig anyway. He wasn't in the mood to argue, surprisingly enough, but made up for it by staying in character and complaining.

"I know." His companion for the evening replied. "Engie and I are gonna have to go for another run. Until then, piss it is." He drowned his bottle and picked up another one. At this point, it wasn't the quality that mattered, but how fast they could get drunk enough to stop behaving like heartbroken teenagers.

This plan appealed to Scout, considering the circumstances. He was growing to like the taste too, since he realised his current situation involved an honest amount of piss. He was pissed off, drinking piss from a bottle, in a camper van that very much smelled of piss, with a man whose job was to piss in jar's to later assault enemies with said piss. He was also on his third bottle and really had to go piss, now that he thought about it, but he couldn't get up. Getting up would be a really bad move. It would give him ideas, ideas that he might act upon and later regret. If he got up, he might want to go see her.

"Maybe I should talk to her." He said.

"Not tonight, buy yeah. You should."

"Why?"

"'Cause your breath smells like piss?" He offered.

"No, I mean why should I even bother talking to her?"

"...'cause you're going out on a limb here, kid. Taking our Nurse's word over any other evidence."

Scout did not reply. A small part of him knew Sniper was right, while a much larger part had known all along. The entire thing was too much of an 80s high school drama cliché to be real, he realised once he had the time to calm down and actually think about it. He just needed reassurance.

"What if I offend her?"

"If you're that afraid, just talk to the BLU Scout. Aren't they like... best friends forever or something?"

Sniper was hardly articulating, slurring his words and licking at his dry lips between thoughts. One glance at his booted feet and Scout took note of the fact that an hour ago, the number of empty bottles was 5 and not 9.

"Snipes? You okay, buddy?"

The Australians head hung back against the window he was sitting under. Unpleasant gurgling noises were coming from his digestive system that made Scout cringe as well as desperately hope that Sniper had some form of control over his bowels.

"This... This is not good for me." He stuttered, swinging his head around from one shoulder to another.

"Well, no shit! RED makes this crap!" He said, picking up an empty bottle and reading the label. "God knows what they put in here."

"I- I know what he puts in me..."

"What?" Scout frowned. He did not like where the conversation was headed, if he had understood the implication correctly, that is.

"He's bad for me." He whined. "Or... or I'm bad for him?"

"Oh, lame." Scout muttered to himself. He didn't want to deal with this. He really didn't. He wasn't sure how he had just lost track of how many bottles were popped open in a matter of an hour, but he came to regret not keeping count.

"I want to see him."

"No you don't."

He seemed to consider this for a moment with his mouth agape before shaking his head.

"No... no, I'm pretty sure I do." He paused and then grinned. "And you get to see Nurse."

As tempting as that was, Scout took the responsibility of guiding Sniper back to his bed when he tried to make a run for the door. To be fair, he stumbled over more than ran, but getting him into bed had been a tangle of long limbs and bed sheets that Scout prayed he would never have to deal with again.

When the Sniper was sound asleep (or so he thought) in his bed, it was Scout's turn to head for the door. Outside, there was no starry night sky, but the head of a Demoman blocking his view.

"He up?"

"No, why?"

"Nurse's gone, lad."

"And we should give a shit because?"

Demo smiled and sighed. "We don't. But Soldier claims we should."

"Why?"

"Signs of forced entry in the infirmary, according to the Spy."

"Kidnapping?"

"Yup. Revenge, I'm guessing." Demoman shrugged.

"Must've been Heavy or..." He yawned. It was later in the night than he thought. "A few of the other guys."

"Uh, well..."

"What?" Scout stopped in his track.

"Spy claims that if it were Heavy or a few men, he would have heard them."

As much as Scout was not a huge fan of Spy's, he acknowledged that the man had talent in his own field. He was trained to be a light sleeper and Scout did not doubt for a second that the guy would be able to hear even his footsteps going down the hall. That left only two possible identities for the culprit in question and Scout was hoping with all his heart that _he_ had the same (or better) training as his other counterpart. Otherwise, the investigation would turn to a question of weight and you wouldn't need a scale to determine who weighed the least in team BLU.


End file.
